
Book , W 6 ^ (-ja 



WESTFIELD QUARTER-MILLENNIUM 



The History of the Celebration 

of the 

Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary 

of the Incorporation of the 

Town of Westfield 

Massachusetts 




August 31, September 1, 2, 5, 1919 

and 

Appendix 

with Reminiscences of the Last Half-Century 



F74 



PRINTED BY 

THE RUMFORD PRESS 

CONCORD, N, H. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

JUN 3-1921 

DOCUMENTS w v .6JON 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Presentation of Volume — Frank Grant xi 

Foreword — Patty Lee Waterman Clark xiii 

Preliminary Action by Board of Trade i 

Votes Passed by Town Pertaining to Celebration . . 4 

Executive Committee and Advisory Board .... 9 

Finance Committee 10 

Publicity Committee 10 

Committee for Publication of History of Town . . 10 

Educational Committee 10 

Invitation Committee 11 

Housing and Information Committee 14 

Transportation Committee 15 

Souvenir Program Committee 15 

Music Committee 15 

Committee for Marking Historic Sites 15 

Industrial Exhibit Committee 15 

Decoration Committee 17 

Hostess House and Loan Exhibit Committee ... 18 
Report of Hostess House and Loan Exhibit — Mrs. 

Chadwick 20 

Historical Addresses Committee 36 

Invocation — Rev. William S. Ayres 42 

Address of Welcome — Edwin W. Smith 43 

Address — Hon. Frederick H. Gillett . 45 

"Spirit of Old Westfield" — Rev. Lucius H. Thayer . 51 

" Westfield of the Future " — Judge Michael H. Sullivan 82 

Account of Monday, September ist 91 

Pageant Committees 94 

Episodes 

I. Father Time and the Dawn of Creation — The 

Coming of the Indians 98 

II. 1 636-1 669 — The Pioneers Conquering the Wilder- 
ness 102 

III. 1676 103 

IV. The Dame School — 1725 106 

V. 1776 — Revolutionary Days 107 

VI. 1783 — Return of General Shepard . . . . in 

VII. 1860— Civil War Ballet 112 

vii 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

PAGE 

VIII. 1919 — Depicting Growth and Beauty of Westfield 114 

IX. Pageant Parade 116 

Community Day Committees 117 

Plans FOR Community Day 118 

Military Parade Committee 123 

Line of March 124 

Order of Military Parade 125 

General Shepard Monument Committees . . . . 127 

Unveiling Ceremonies 132 

Invocation — Rev. John H. Lockwood 135 

Address of Welcome — Henry W. Ely 136 

Presentation of Monument — Arthur S. Kneil . . . 140 

Acceptance of Monument — Louis L. Keefe . . . . 143 
Addresses 

John C. Robinson 147 

Governor Calvin Coolidge 155 

Former Governor Samuel W. McCall 161 

Major-General Clarence R. Edwards 177 

Welcome Home to Service Men 184 

Dancing on the Green 185 

An Appreciation of the Celebration — Mrs. William A. 

Root 188 

APPENDIX 

Letter of Miss Clara M. Reed 191 

Poem — "The Rose Jar" — Philip Richards Dunbar . . 192 

Pen Sketch of Westfield in 191 9 — George W. Searle . 194 

Bank Statements for 1869 and 1919 199 

Reminiscences of Town Meetings in the '80s and '90s — 

Rev. John H. Lockwood 205 

Topographical Reminiscences — Frank Grant. . . . 209 

Reminiscences — Frances Fowler 217 

The High School in 1862 — Samuel J. Fowler .... 225 

Westfield in the Late '70s — Bertha Mansfield Freeman 227 

My Teachers — Katharine Gibbs Allen 230 

Reminiscences — Addison L. Green 233 

Poem — "The Doorway" — Frances Fowler 239 

viii 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING PAGE 

Frontispiece — "The Green" Title 

Honorary Committee and Board of Selectmen . . 4 

Executive Committee 8 

Chairmen of Committees on Preparation .... 10 
Reproduction of "Summons" and Invitation . . .12,13 

Chairmen of Committees on Entertainment ... 14 

Elm Street Decorated for the Celebration ... 17 

Main Street Decorated for the Celebration . . 19 

The Reception Room — The Hostess House .... 23 

The Cabin Interior — The Hostess House 27 

Official Program of the Celebration 32 

Speakers at the Historical Meeting 39 

Program of the Historical Meeting 39 

Wolf-pit Meadows 94 

Part of the Audience at the Pageant 94 

Father Time and the Chorus 98 

Ballet — " Dawn of Creation " 99 

Indian Encampment 100 

William Pynchon's Arrival 102 

Spirit of the Wilderness and Powers of the River . 104 

Powers of the Forest and River 104 

The Mist Maidens 104 

Pioneer Man and Woman Overcoming the Powers of 

Forest and River 105 

The Dame School 106 

Departure of the Minute Men 108 

Spirit of 1776 108 

Ballet 1776 109 

General and Mrs. Shepard; Captain Parks and Lieu- 
tenant Shepard Ill 

Four of the "Townspeople" iii 

Civil War Ballet 

"Blues," "Grays" and "Black Clouds of War". . 112 

Dancers representing " Love and Devotion " . . . 112 

Dancers representing "Joy" 112 

The End of the Conflict 113 

IX 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Ballet Westfield facing page 

The Little Farmers 114 

Manufactures and Mining 115 

The Arts 116 

The States Accompanying Columbia 117 

Military Parade 

Marshal and Aids 122 

First Platoon 123 

Navy Men's Section 124 

Third Company 124 

Red Cross 124 

Second Section of Red Cross 125 

General Shepard Monument 127 

Speakers at Dedication Exercises 132 

Statue of Major-General William Shepard . . . 133 

Program of Dedication Exercises 134 

The Minuet (Two Illustrations) 184 

(One Illustration) 187 

The Doorway of the Fowler Tavern 239 



PRESENTATION OF VOLUME 

William B. Reed, Chairman, 

and Fellow Members of the Executive Committee: 

In pursuance of your commission to prepare and publish 
a report of the proceedings of Westfield's Quarter-Millen- 
nial Celebration in September, 191 9, I have the honor to 
submit the following: 

Immediately after the celebration I made as complete a 
collection as possible of all available material. 

I then solicited the aid of Miss Clara M. Reed to edit the 
report. She most kindly consented to undertake the task 
and promptly entered upon it with characteristic diligence 
and zeal. Wrought upon by her trained mind and loyal 
heart, the work soon made progress that promised early 
consummation. 

The sudden termination of her earthly life — a life of 
large achievement under physical stress that would have 
daunted a soul less highly endowed, or less imbued with 
the best ideals of old New England — necessitated the 
enlistment of another mind and heart for completion of the 
enterprise. 

We were exceedingly fortunate in securing Mrs. Patty 
Lee Waterman Clark, another loyal daughter of Westfield, 
who had, as you know, already rendered invaluable service 
in producing the brilliantly successful historical pageant. 
I am sure you will all most heartily appreciate the pains- 
taking thoroughness with which she has carried the work to 
fulfillment. 

Together they have given us a record that I trust will 
not only interest our citizens and former residents, and 
especially those who participated in the celebration, but 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

also prove a source of pride and inspiration to the West- 
field yet to be. 

Respectfully submitted, 



;^^.*^^^<^ 



Westfield, Massachusetts, 
December i, 1920 




FOREWORD 

This volume, modeled after that published fifty years 
ago,— "The Westfield Bi-Centennial,"— will, it is hoped, 
prove one of a series to which each successive half-century 
shall add its characteristic contribution. 

Therefore it has been our endeavor to provide a book 
which in workmanship and in contents shall be indicative 
of its period. There are many pictures which would have 
aided the endeavor; yet if any are disappointed at their 
absence they should remember that this is primarily a 
history of the quarter-millennial celebration, and as such 
quite properly gives preference to pictures connected with 
that event. At the same time we have tried to keep a nice 
balance between the present and the past by means of the 
various speeches reproduced in full together with pageant 
and hostess house pictures. 

As originally sketched there was between the far-away 
time and the foreground of the present, a space correspond- 
ing to the last half-century, which required additions in 
order that the picture might be complete. Miss Clara 
Reed, inspired by the success of the impromptu gathering 
held on the third day of the celebration,— Tuesday, Sep- 
tember 2,— later published a letter asking for reminiscences 
of the fifty years just past. The responses are printed in 
the Appendix. These, we trust, will not only waken to 
happy consciousness many dormant memories, but will 
also arouse respect if not love for the Westfield there por- 
trayed, in those who can never know the town which is 
fast passing away. 

Just as back of the celebration and assuring its success 
was the splendid co-operation of our townspeople old and 
young, so within this history of the celebration may be 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

found such a working together of town events past and 
present as should make for the success of the volume. 
Yet to us, who because of our fond memories and love of 
the old town, have labored in the preparation of this book, 
its success means not merely that it shall interest, but that 
it shall inspire in the Westfield of the future pride in 
the town's past and a desire to emulate the Spirit of old 
Westfield. 



1 



M OUMAoa,c?w>a^ U-^^ 



Hartford, Connecticut, 
December i, 1920. 



THE HISTORY OF THE CELEBRATION 
OF THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIF- 
TIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IN- 
CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF 
WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



PRELIMINARY ACTION OF BOARD OF TRADE 

The matter of the celebration of the two hundred and 
fiftieth anniversary of Westfield's municipal life, was first 
taken up by the Westfield Board of Trade. At a meeting 
of the directors held September 12, 191 7, a committee was 
appointed, consisting of Frank Grant, Herbert N. Kings- 
bury and George D. Roe, to suggest ideas or plans at a 
meeting of the entire membership to be held October 10, 
following. 

At the meeting of October 10, held at the Bismarck 
Hotel, a goodly number were present and Frank Grant as 
chairman of the special committee of three, reported for 
the committee in substance as follows : 

The town of Westfield will doubtless in due time take 
formal action in regard to celebrating the two hundred and 
fiftieth anniversary of its organization. It being impossi- 
ble now to say to what individuals such duty may fall, it 
has seemed to your committee entirely proper for this body 
to immediately take steps in the way of preparedness for 
the event. With that end in view we suggest that a general 
committee be appointed at this meeting with what might 
be termed a "roving" commission, whose first duty would 
be to meet with our present town officials and propose the 
calling, at no distant date, of a meeting of townspeople to 
consider the matter. 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

When the proper time arrives, invitations will doubtless 
be issued to every known former resident of Westfield and 
in many instances to descendants of the older families, A 
good amount of time will be necessary for this work. 
Anticipating such formal invitations by perhaps a year, it 
might be wise to send to all such possible guests a less 
formal notice with the suggestion of planning their 1919 
summer trip or vacation with the thought of being present 
with us at the time of the celebration. We might perhaps 
invite no less a personage than the President of the United 
States, for we hope at the time of the celebration to dedi- 
cate a monument to the memory of a citizen of the town who 
in his day had a national reputation, being a personal 
friend and host of the first President of the United States. 

Your committee would suggest that committees be 
appointed for such matters as: 

1. Pageant. 

2. Historical addresses on different days, perhaps 

under such sub-heads as: 
Civic history. 
Religious history. 
Commercial history. 

3. Banquet. 

4. Shepard Monument dedication. 

5. Marking of localities or sites of interest and pro- 

viding conductors to same. 

6. Place and provision for meetings. 

7. Ways and means. 

8. Committee to garner information for use and pres- 

entation. 
And many other details that will suggest themselves, 
on some of which there is no time to lose. 

The report of the committee was accepted by the meeting 
and it was moved that a committee be appointed to take 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Up the work in general, to submit plans and suggestions, 
and to do anything which their judgment suggested which 
would forward the work efficiently and make the celebra- 
tion a complete success. The motion was adopted and the 
following were named as members of the committee, and 
they were by vote, approved by the meeting: 

Frank Grant William T, Smith 

Edwin W. Smith George W. Loomis 

Frederick F. Shepard S. Augustus Allen 

Herbert N. Kingsbury Joseph A. Kenyon 

John P. Fogarty Edward T. Fowler 

Robert Gowdy John J. Hearn 

Charles J. Little Edgar L. Gillett 

Chester H. Abbe George D. Roe 

William B. Reed 

The eleven months which passed before any action was 
publicly taken toward calling a town meeting were filled 
with activities and anxieties connected with the Great War. 
An early peace seemed unlikely, and thoughts of a local 
celebration were not in harmony with the prevailing serious 
mood. The summer of 191 8 brought hope that a cessation 
of hostilities might not long be postponed, and in conse- 
quence a special town meeting was called for September 18, 
1918. 

The following report of the action of the town includes 
votes on two other matters — the Welcome Home to our 
Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, and the erection of a Statue 
to General William Shepard. By harmonious arrangement 
with the two committees in charge of these events they 
became important features of the town's celebration, so 
that action in regard to them is here included. 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



VOTES PASSED PERTAINING TO THE CELE- 
BRATION OF THE TOWN OF WESTFI ELD'S 
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH 
ANNIVERSARY 

Article j. Warrant for Special Meeting Held September 
i8, 1918 

Art. 3. To see If the Town will vote to appoint a Com- 
mittee to plan, arrange and carry out a program and take 
any other action in connection with the 250th Anniversary 
of the Town in 191 9. 

Voted: That a Committee of one hundred be appointed, 
under Article 3, to make plans for the proper celebration 
of the Two Hundred Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding 
of the Town of Westfield, this Committee to consist of the 
four living members of the Bi-Centennial Committee, Mr. 
L. F. Thayer, Mr. J. C. Greenough, Mr. E. B. Smith and 
Mr. L. H. Beals, the present Board of Selectmen, Moder- 
ator, Town Clerk, and Chairman of the following Town 
Boards: Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Board of 
Water Commissioners, Municipal Light Commission and 
School Committee, the President of the Board of Trade 
and eighty-five citizens to be named by the Moderator. 

In accordance with the above vote the moderator 
appointed the following committee: 

Committee of 100 — 250TH Anniversary 

Reappointed from the Bi-Centennial Committee of 1869 

Lucius F. Thayer Edwin B. Smith 

James C. Greenough Luther H. Beals 

Board of Selectmen 

Morrell H. Moore 
William K. Buschmann Louis L. Keeee 

4 




James C. Grecnough Lucius F. Thayer 

Edwin B. Smith Luther H. Beals 

Honorary Committee (reappointed from 1869) 

Louis L. Keefe Morrell H. Moore William K. Buschmann 

Board of Selectmen 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Clarence A. Brodeur, Moderator 

George W. Searle, Town Clerk 

Frank A. Snow, Chairman Board of Assessors 

Dr. Archibald J. Douglas, Chairman Board of Health 

Harry C. Lane, Chairman Water Commissioners 

Chester H. Abbe, Chairman Municipal Light Board 

Robert Chapin Parker, Chairman School Committee 

George B. Church, President Board of Trade 



S. Augustus Allen 

Mrs. Lewis B. Allyn 

Miss Ida C. Ashley 

Dr. James B. Atwater 

Charles E. Avery 

Mrs. Lillian C. Avery 

Gamaliel E. Austin 

Jonas Blech 

Miss Frances T. Boise 

Homer Bush 

William J. Chapman 

Edward G. Clark 

James H. Clark 

Sanborn S. Conner 

Thomas J. Cooley 

Frank E. Cowles 

Louis M, Dewey 

Eugene Doherty 

Sturges Dorrance 

Henry W. Ely 

Joseph B. Ely 

William H. Ensign 

John P. Fogarty 

Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler 

Edward T. Fo^vLER 

Edgar L. Gillett 

Miss Lucy D. Gillett 

Robert Gowdy 

Frank Grant 

Percy N. Hall 

John J. Hearn 

Edwin B. Hedges 

Charles A. Hickson 



Mrs. Henrietta Phelps Holland 

Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker 

Harold E. Howard 

George Jachym 

John Jakobowski 

Willis S. Kellogg 

Joseph A. Kenyon 

John R. King 

Herbert N. Kingsbury 

John R. Kirwin 

Herbert W. Kittredge 

Arthur S. Kneil 

George L. Lewis 

Miss Maud A. Lewis 

Mrs. Lillie Lambson Lilley 

Charles J. Little 

Rev. John H. Lockwood 

George W. Loomis 

Mrs. Marion Noble Loomis 

William F. Lyman 

William B. Mahoney 

Peter Marichak 

George W. Miner 

Richard J. Morrissey 

Harris B. Moulton 

Dr. a. Fowler Noble 

Howard G. Noble 

Lewis C. Parker 

Harry B. Putnam 

Miss Clara M. Reed 

William B. Reed 

Charles Rehor 

Archie D. Robinson 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



George D. Roe 
Leigh Sanford 
Angelo Santucci 
Miss Addie E. Shepard 
Frederick F. Shepard 
Edwin J. Smith 
Edwin W. Smith 
William T. Smith 
Louis O. Taylor 
James Tierney 



George A. Upson 
Gabriel Van Roth 

KONSTANTINAS VaSILIAUSKAS 

Charles B. Warren 

Arthur F. Way 

Mrs. Florence Fuller Whitney 

Mrs. Maria Moseley Whitney 

George E. Whipple 

Mrs. Alice Walkley Winslow 



Art. 2. Special April Meeting Warrant iqiq 

Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $500 for 
the celebration of its 250th Anniversary in 191 9. 

Art. I. Warrant for Special Meeting Held July 18, igig 

Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $10,000 
plus all receipts for the celebration of the 250th Anniversary 
of its incorporation ; that payments from this appropriation 
be made as designated by the Executive Committee upon 
the approval of the Committee Chairman incurring the 
expense and the Finance Committee of the General 
Committee. 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



VOTES PERTAINING TO WELCOME-HOME 
CELEBRATION, 1919 

Committee Appointed by the Selectmen January ii, 

191 9, TO Welcome the Returning Soldiers, 

Sailors and Marines 

Rev. Clement E. Holmes 
Percy N. Hall William C. Wholean 

Joseph A. Kenyon George Jachym 

Daniel F. Doherty Emil Motak 

Vote Under Article 31 of Annual Town Meeting 
Warrant for 191 9 

Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $1,000 
to celebrate the return of soldiers and sailors now, or late in 
the service of the United States. 

Vote Under Article i of Warrant for Special Town 
Meeting Held August 19, 1919 
Voted: That the Town appropriate the additional sum 
of $1,000 to celebrate the return of soldiers and sailors now, 
or late in the service of the United States. 



VOTES PERTAINING TO THE ERECTION OF 
THE GENERAL SHEPARD MONUMENT 

Chapter 547, Acts of 1907 
The Town of Westfield may, at a town meeting called 
for that purpose, raise and appropriate a sum not exceeding 
five thousand dollars, for the purpose of erecting a monu- 
ment or other suitable memorial in said Town to the mem- 
ory of General William Shepard, a native of said Town, a 
general in the war of the Revolution, and a representative 
in Congress from this Commonwealth for the period of six 
years. 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Article 21, Special April Warrant iqij 

To see if the Town will vote in accordance with the pro- 
visions of Chapter 547 of the Acts of the year 1907 to erect 
a monument or other suitable memorial in said Town to 
the memory of General William Shepard, and make an 
appropriation therefor. 

Vote Passed Under Above Article 

Art. 21. That the subject matter of Article 21 be re- 
ferred to a Committee of three to be appointed by the 
Moderator and to report to the Town at a future meeting. 

Committee Appointed 

Henry W. Ely 
James C. Greenough Archie D. Robinson 

Vote Passed on Report of Above Committee at Town 
Meeting Held April 17, 1917 

Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $3,500 
under Article 21 of the warrant for the Special April Meet- 
ing in 1913, and that a Committee of five be appointed to 
procure and have charge of a suitable monument to Gen- 
eral Shepard. 

Committee Appointed 

Henry W. Ely 
Archie D. Robinson William T. Smith 

James C. Greenough Arthur S. Kneil 

Vote Passed Under Article 7 at Town Meeting 
Held June 2, 1919 

Voted: That the Town appropriate an additional sum of 
$750 as authorized by Chapter 547 of the Acts of the year 
1907 for the erection of a monument to the memory of 
General William Shepard. 

8 



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 



1 




Willi.iin 1). KccmI 
(Chairman) 

Edwin W. Smith 
(Secretary) 



Willis S. Kellogg 

(Vice-Chairman) 
George W. Searle 

(Treasurer) 



Executive Committee 




Joseph B. Ely 
John R. King 
Frederick F. Shepard 


Frank drant 
Charles J. Little 

Executive Committee 


Edgar L. Gillett 
Joseph A. Kenyon 
Matthew W. Shine 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

The Committee of One Hundred elected officers for an 
Executive Committee which should have general charge 
of the Quarter- Millennial Celebration, and empowered the 
chairman, William B. Reed, to appoint the balance of the 
committee. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

William B. Reed, Chairman 

Willis S. Kellogg, Vice- Chairman 

George W. Searle, Treasurer 

Edwin W. Smith, Secretary 
Joseph B. Ely John R. King 

Edgar L. Gillett Charles J. Little 

Frank Grant Frederick F. Shepard 

Joseph A. Kenyon Matthew W. Shine 

The Executive Committee appointed an advisory board 
to work with it in order that a broader viewpoint might be 
obtained as to the nature of the celebration. 

ADVISORY BOARD 

Chester H. Abbe John R. Kirwin 

Gamaliel E. Austin Arthur S. Kneil 

Joseph D. Cadle Mrs. Elizabeth Morgan Way 

Daniel F. Doherty Lozier 

Henry W. Ely Richard J. Morrissey 

Edward T. Fowler Frederick L. Parker 

Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler George D. Roe 

Miss Lucy D. Gillett Mrs. Frances Abbott Sackett 

Robert Gowdy William T. Smith 

After duly considering the type of celebration desired, 
the following committees were appointed : 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



COMMITTEES 
FINANCE COMMITTEE 
Lewis C. Parker, Chairman 
James H. Clark Loring P. Lane 

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 
George \V. Searle, Chairman 
Joseph D. Bates Edwin W. Smith 

COMMITTEE FOR PUBLICATION OF HISTORY OF TOWN 
OF WESTFIELD 
James H. Clark, Chairman 
Joseph A. Kenyon George W. Miner 

To some lovers of Westfield and her history it was known 
that Rev. John H. Lockwood was working upon a history 
of the town, and therefore a committee was appointed to 
consult with him upon the appropriateness of publishing 
the work as a feature of the celebration. But the com- 
mittee learned to its regret that it would be impossible to 
complete the manuscript until a later date. 
EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE 
Robert Chapin Parker, Chairman 
Clarence A. Brodeur Chester D. Stiles 

Miss Mary A. Long George L. Lewis 

The work of this committee was confined to a special 
effort with the public schools of the town of Westfield. A 
brief history of the town, compiled by Chester D. Stiles, 
superintendent of schools, from the historical data of a 
longer sketch written by James C. Greenough, former 
principal of the Westfield Normal School, was printed and 
distributed among the grades for the use of the teachers in 
conducting their classes during the spring term Flans 
were made for the lower grades to hear stories of Indian lite 
and local historical events; also to make short pilgrimages 
to local historical sites where this was practicable. In 

10 



CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES ON PREPARATION 




George W. Scarle 

(Publicity) 
Robert Chapin Parker 

(Education) 



Frank Grant 
(Invitations) 



Lewis C. Parker 

(Finance) 
James H. Clark 

(Publication of History of 

Town) 



riiairnien of Committees on Preparation 



""^^§=t--- 





Percy N. Hall 

(Decorations) 
William F. Lyman 

(Souvenir Program) 
George E. Shepard, Jr. 

(Housing and Information) 



Louis M. Dewey 

(Marking Historic Sites) 
Harvey J. Cleveland 

(Music) 
George D. Roe 

(Transportation) 



Chairmen of Committees on Preparation 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



addition to this the graduating class of the High School, 
under the direction of Principal Herbert W. Kittredge, 
took for the subject of the graduation exercises the history 
of the town and all members of the class prepared papers on 
some phase of local history. Those who received com- 
mencement appointments presented their productions at 
the regular graduation in the Methodist Episcopal Church 
June 27, 1919. 

INVITATION COMMITTEE 

Frank Grant, Chairman 
Chester H. Abbe William B. Mahoney 

Lewis B. Allyn Frederick F. Shepard 

Herbert W. Kittredge 

This committee began its work many months in advance. 
It endeavored to procure as complete a list as possible of 
former residents and descendants of Westfield families 
living elsewhere. To these four thousand or more, whose 
names were obtained, was sent literature concerning the 
proposed celebration. Notably the Valley Echo of July 18, 
191 9, which was known as "The Celebration Issue" and 
contained the following articles: 



'The Celebration" 

'The Bi-Centennial Celebration" . 
'The First Settlement at Woronoco" 
' General William Shepard " . 

'The Pageant" 

'The Souvenir Program" 

'A Pen Sketch of Westfield" . . 



William B. Reed 

Miss Mary S. Thayer 

Charles H. Bartlett 

Arthur S. Kneil 

Mrs. Patty Lee Waterman Clark 

William F. Lyman 

George W. Searle 



In a conspicuous place in the issue was the accompanying 
"Summons," which was forerunner to the formal invitation 
also reproduced here. The records show that invitations 
were sent to every state in the Union, except Mississippi, 
and New Mexico; to the District of Columbia, Alaska, the 
Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines, and to some fourteen 
other foreign states or countries. 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS 



Town of Westfield 
County of Hampden 

To any and all who still hold love for and fond memories of Wesifield — 
Greetings: 

You are hereby summoned in the name of said Westfield to appear before 
its present inhabitants on the 31st day of August next, at such hour of the 
day as may best suit your convenience, and to continue with them from day 
to day thereafter, especially through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of September, 
happily to celebrate the Two Hundred and Fiftieth anniversary of the incor- 
poration of said inhabitants as a town in this Commonwealth. 

At that time to give evidence of the memories you treasure relating to life 
in said Westfield, then and there to be enjoyed between old friends. You are 
invited whether once a sojourner, to the manor born, or a descendant of any 
so fortunate. 

Hereof fail not as you uill answer your default under the pains and 
penalties of lost opportunities. 

Given under our hands and seals this eleventh day of July, A. D., 1910. 

FRANK GRANT 
HERBERT W. KITTREDGE 
FRED F. SHEPARD 
WM. B. MAHONEY 
LEWIS B. ALLYN 
CHESTER H. ABBE 

Committee on Invitations 





12 







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jmA^ mid dcmcjlit&ril o/ncl dt dfwr^ imhre^kd m Ike Aid&r^ 
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iemA, 



13 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



HOUSING AND INFORMATION COMMITTEE 

George E. Shepard, Jr., Chairman 
Dennison H. Loomis Frederick H. Scott 

Fred Schmidt George T. Slauter 

Owing to the numerous inquiries concerning accommo- 
dations, it early became apparent that housing was an 
Important part of the work of this committee. The accom- 
panying Information sHp was therefore sent to thousands 
of possible visitors. 

While the celebration was In progress the committee had 
its headquarters at the Town Hall and the duties of the 
Information Bureau were manifold. 



'PLEASE RESERVE FOR ME 

□ single room Sl.OO per day 

□ double room S2.00 per day 
in private home (no meals) 



For the following dales- 
Name 



Jlddress- 



Evening. 


AuiSuBt :Uh 


Historienl Address. 


September l«t Historical Paficonl. 

(cast of 800 people). 
September 2nd Community Pienic. 
Septombtr.lrd Unv.ilinii of General 
Shcpnrd .Monument. 



Return promptly to F. H. Scott, 
9 Mill St.. Westiield, Mas9. or 
write him for further informa- 
tion. 




14 



CHAIRMEN OF COAIAIITTEES ON ENTERTAINMENT 




George L. Gaylord 

(Industrial Exliibil ) 

Daniel F. Doherty 
Henry W.Ely (Parade) 

(Dedication of Monument) 



( '.anialiel K. Austin 
(("ommunity Day) 

Rev. Clement E. Holmes, Ph.D. 
(Welcome to Service Men) 



Chairmen of Committees on Knlerlainment 




Mrs. Henry D. Chachvick 

(Hostess House and Loan Exhibit) 
Lester Paige Breckenridge, Eng. D. 

(Reminiscence Meeting) 



William T. Smith 

(Historical Address) 
Mrs. Patty Lee Waterman Clark 

(Pageant) 



Chairmen of Committees on Entert; 



iinment 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 

George D. Roe, Chairman 

Robert C. Loomis, Vice-Chairman 
Roy Chambers Harry Lampman 

Luke Corcoran Daniel F. McCall 

Thurston S. Cudworth Arthur C. Sauers 

SOUVENIR PROGRAM COMMITTEE 

William F. Lyman, Chairman 
Ray L. Bartlett Miss Louise E. Snow 

Edward G. Clark Miss Mary S. Thayer 

Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker 

MUSIC COMMITTEE 

Harvey J. Cleveland, Chairman 
Lewis B. Allyn George L. Gaylord 

Mrs. Patty Lee Clark Frederic Goodwin 

Glenn B. Cowles Mrs. Mary Myers Parker 

COMMITTEE FOR MARKING HISTORIC SITES 

Louis M. Dewey, Chairman 
S. Augustus Allen George R. Keife 

Homer Bush George L. Lewis 

James A. Condron Dr. A. Fowler Noble 

J. Chambers Dewey Mrs. Maria Moseley Whitney 

Mrs. Henry Holland 

Under the supervision of this committee, more than 
one hundred residences and places of historic interest were 
marked. 

The Celebration Committee referred the matter of an 
industrial exhibit to the Board of Trade who appointed the 
following committee: 

INDUSTRIAL EXHIBIT COMMITTEE 

George L. Gaylord, Chairman 

Norman R. Clark Ralph G. Rogers 

The exhibit was placed under a tent, measuring 30 by 180 
feet, erected at the Court Street end in Holland Avenue, the 

15 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Street being closed to traffic by order of the Selectmen. 
Here, from lo in the morning until lo at night, visitors might 
obtain an idea of the diversity of Westfield's manufactured 
products. 

Charles J. lies had general oversight of the exhibit and 
someone was always present to assist in the reception of 
guests, or to furnish information. Representatives of the 
various manufacturers were also on hand to explain their 
products. Twenty-five entered exhibits : 

Atwater Knitting Co Underwear 

Adams Nurseries Shrubs 

Alrutz & Hadley Pipe dampers 

Brien Heater Heating boilers 

Crane Bros Paper 

Foster Machine Co Winding machines 

Git Mfg. Co Hand soap 

Hampden Toy Co Toys 

John Klar Monumental designs 

Kenwood Printing Co Printing 

Mars Paper Co Paper 

New England Whip Co Whips 

M. B. Nelson Preserves 

Noble Cigar Co Cigars 

Planet Co Folding pails, etc. 

Robinson Mfg. Co Memorandum books 

Rogers Silver Co Casket hardware 

The H. B. Smith Co Boilers and radiators 

Textile Mfg. Co Casket hardware 

United States Whip Co Whips 

Vitrified Wheel Co Abrasive wheels 

Warren Thread Works Threads 

Westfield Clay Products Co Brick 

Westfield Mfg. Co Bicycles 

Westfield Boys' Trade School Tools 



I6 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



DECORATION COMMITTEE 

Percy N. Hall, Chairman 
John Carl Clarence A. Kinard 

William J. Chapman M. R. King 

James Condron John H. Power 

Fred E. Beals Frank L. Squire 

Frederick G. Farr Louis D. Wheeler 

"Garbed in a riot of color, which has never been equaled 
in the town's history, Westfield rested tonight, after 
strenuous days of endeavor, on the eve of the greatest 
festival of its community life, the four days observance of 
the 250th anniversary of its founding, which begins to- 
morrow and ends Wednesday night. 

"Centering on Park Square, every thoroughfare which 
leads into it is a canopy of flags, pennants and bunting. 
The Square itself is a fairyland with hundreds of banners, 
streamers and decorations. The centerpiece of it all is 
the huge flagstaff towering above the trees of the town 
Green and the Honor Roll of those who entered service, 
which stands at its base. 

"Festoons of pennants in long strings radiate from the 
staff across trees to every corner and to fixed points along 
the side. Crisscrossing beneath these are lanes of flags 
and the Welcome Home banners dedicated to the town's 
soldier sons. Intermingled with the national colors are the 
flags of all the Allies, blended so that all form a brilliant- 
hued mass. Viewed from the Shepard Triangle, Elm Street 
and other highways leading to Park Square seem to be a 
series of arches which out-rival any rainbow for kaleidoscopic 
coloring. 

"To carry out this effect still more, every telephone, tel- 
egraph and trolley pole is bedecked with arms of bunting, 
and the cornices, sides and copings of buildings are bloom- 
ing with red, white and blue. Symmetry in the scheme of 
decoration rules. It shows on every hand the result of care- 

2 17 



WESTFILED, MASSACHUSETTS 

ful planning. Now and then on the larger buildings there 
are centerpieces consisting of paintings of men famous in 
these and other times. These range from pictures of Wash- 
ington to that of Major-General Clarence R. Edwards, 
former beloved leader of the Fighting Yankee Division, 
which decorates the headquarters of Westfield Post of the 
American Legion. 

"Private homes, public buildings and even bridges have 
not been forgotten. Westfield is in holiday attire from its 
outermost limits to the heart of its business district." — 
The Springfield Union, Saturday, August 30, 1919. 

HOSTESS HOUSE AND LOAN EXHIBIT COMMITTEE 

Mrs. Henry D. Chadwick, Chairman 
Miss Avis Waterbury Miss Louise E. Snow 

Mrs. Ellsworth H. Plumer Mrs. Lillian Avery 

Mrs. Frederic Goodwin 

This delightful and instructive feature of the celebration 
was under the direction of the art committee of the Woman's 
Club of Westfield. 

The brick house just south of the High School was selected. 
It was built about forty years ago by Noah Strong; but 
being acquired by the town it has recently been used for 
school purposes. 

Here tea was served every day to thousands of guests, 
who were received by hostesses in quaint, old costumes. 
Mrs. E. R. Hawley was in charge of this department, 
assisted by the following committees : 

Saturday Mrs. Peter Prout, Chairman 

Mrs. Charles E. Cooley Mrs. Edwin L. Gannett 

Miss Helen Austin Mrs. Walter C. Ring 

Mrs. Percy N. Hall 

Sunday Mrs. Robert Marr, Chairman 

Mrs. George H. Janes Mrs. James B. O'Brien 

Miss Virginia Noble Mrs. Robert Gowdy 

Monday Mrs. Fred Nash, Chairman 

Mrs. Fred Rice Mrs. Harry C. Washburn 

18 




.4|^}fcE^:^« 




,^.^*«^l,, 

««[] 

"'^\ 



!l'liiii Ih 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Tuesday Mrs. Herbert O. Sanford, Chairman 

Mrs. George Clark Mrs. Louise F. Martin 

Mrs. Harr>' Hammersley Mrs. Clifton Moore 

Wednesday Mrs. J. Wells Loomis, Chairman 

Mrs. Charles H. Beals Mrs. John Long 

Mrs. L. D. Harden Mrs. B. A. Edgar 
Mrs. Burton Prince 

"Many groups of children came without guardians and 
the hostesses made up 'personally conducted' parties, 
telling the children the story of the bit of an old Continental 
flag, in the upper hall ; of the landing of the Pilgrims, bring- 
ing the primitive family treasures as shown in the early 
colonial interior, such as the Governor Carver chair, pew- 
ter, etc. 

"Small boys stood enthralled before the old drums of 
1812; the Revolutionary muskets; the guns and swords of 
the Civil War. 

"One group of Italians were so impressed with the fire- 
place in the old cabin interior, its kettles and griddles, its 
spinning wheel, etc., that they exclaimed: 'Why! This 
is just as it is in our own country now ! All is just the same 
at home ! ' An old foreigner pointed to the spinning wheel 
and said: 'My mamma she do this just same.'" — The 
Springfield Republican, September 3, 1919. 



19 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

REPORT OF HOSTESS HOUSE AND LOAN EXHIBIT 
Mrs. Henry D. Chadwick 

I think, to many of us, the celebrating of the 250th 
Anniversary of the settlement of Westfield was a glad time ; 
a time of inspiration that brought with it a sense of pledge 
to all those splendid New England settlers, the imprints of 
whose lives we are constantly coming across in all our 
doings. 

We were glad too to unite with this feeling a joy in the 
home coming of our soldier boys and the end of war. We 
felt all through the celebration the spirit of the splendid 
past of our New England and were glad to turn from the 
tumult of war to do honor to those ancestors handing down 
to us such a heritage of loyalty and right living. 

And so we entered into all the plans with great enthusiasm 
and the great things accomplished did not seem burden- 
some in the doing. I think it might be called Americanism 
that possessed us and Americanism written large ! 

To me the idea of an historical loan exhibit seemed the 
very first and closest expression of our nearness to, and 
interest in, the early days of the settlements. I felt that 
we should bring together and gaze once more upon those 
souvenirs, utensils and belongings which had really been a 
part of the life of old Westfield, used and lived with, by 
those people once peopling the town as we do today. 

So it was with real delight and pleasure that I carried on 
this work with the sanction of the General Committee of 
the Celebration, and the enthusiastic promise of support 
from the Westfield Woman's Club. The plan as developed 
was to unite the Loan Exhibit with a Hostess House proj- 
ect or Welcome Home House, where the many strangers 
and returning Westfield people could find a touch of wel- 
come, and a large bit of the old town gathered together 
again for all to see and enjoy. 

20 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

The brick building next to the High School, built by 
Noah Strong as a home about forty years ago, and lately 
used as a vocational school, the building belonging to the 
town, was decided upon as the place for this combination 
of work to be carried on by the Woman's Club during the 
celebration. 

Now it devolved upon me to fulfil my promise to get 
together such an exhibit, prepare the building for it and 
have all in readiness for the Woman's Club to take it over 
and "carry on" the five days inclusive of Saturday, August 
30 to September 3. Then the darkest hours of the project 
dawned for me, for the committee did not think I needed 
very much money and the building proved to be in a very 
sad state after its occupation as a sort of machine shop and 
trades school. It was a worrisome time then to watch the 
precious dollars leak away to pay plumber, painter and 
cleaners. But slowly cleanliness and freshness crept over 
the old house and soft grey walls replaced the unspeakable 
paper and paint. Then came the delightful days of hunting 
about the old homes and garrets and treasure chests for the 
wealth of material to fill the bare rooms. I shall never 
forget the happy hours spent with some of the older people 
and listening to their stories and memories of other days; 
in climbing dark and dusty stairs to old garrets, store- 
houses, etc., to bring forth many priceless, almost forgotten, 
treasures to the light. One of our most precious old homes 
in Westfield is the " Moseley Mansion" on Union Street 
and to few families is given the privilege of keeping safely 
together under one roof so many wonderful old heirlooms 
of the long ago. Mrs. Maria Moseley W^hitney, living 
there today, and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Thomas Moseley, 
joint owner of the place with her, were so generous and so 
appreciative that the treasures from this houvse alone made 
a fine exhibit. This old house has the spinning-wheels, 
chests, etc., of the seventeenth century; the Revolutionary 

21 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

relics; even portraits brought over from England. It is a 
shrine for all old Westfield lovers and long may it stand 
and the famous Moseley hospitality be offered to us there. 

Mrs. Holland, though an invalid, gave from her treasures 
with the traditions of other days about them. Dr. Burge, 
with his memories of Indian wars, as well as the Civil War, 
gave generously of both treasure and story. Indeed before 
the exhibit was announced closed to further loans from 
lack of space so many treasures from so many notable and 
old families came forth we were really amazed at the 
quantity Westfield could show if she really tried. As it 
was the Strong house, filled as it was, showed only a little 
beginning of what the town might have shown with more 
time and space, even using careful selection. 

As the work on the Loan Exhibit progressed new prob- 
lems developed. Where I had hoped to make candlelight 
do for lighting I found it would be impossible as we would 
wish to keep open long evenings and even in the daylight 
the house proved dark, so it seemed necessary to add elec- 
trical fixtures. Then it seemed right to insure so valuable 
a collection against burglary and theft. When, however, I 
brought these troubles before Mr. William Reed and other 
ofiftcials of the General Committee they were troubles no 
longer as they assured me funds to cover these added 
expenses. Then again when it was found best to have 
watchmen stay in the Hostess House nights, as the value of 
the exhibit grew, offers came to me from several men to 
arrange for that. And so the way smoothed out. 

Mrs. Lewis B. Allyn, president of the Woman's Club, 
called a meeting of the Executive Board, where plans were 
formulated for committees to take charge of the tea rooms 
in the Hostess House through the five days we planned to 
keep it open, namely from Saturday, August 30 to Septem- 
ber 3 inclusive, with Mrs. Hawley as general chairman. 
Mrs. Lillian Avery was appointed chairman of the host- 

22 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

esses to act as guards and guides as well in the rooms 
containing the Loan Exhibit. These hostesses took charge 
in three shifts of six each, from 9 to i, i to 5 and 5 to 10, 
each day. All hostesses were to wear old fashioned cos- 
tumes and carry out the spirit and the flavor of the past as 
far as they could, which they succeeded in doing most 
admirably. Other members of the Woman's Club volun- 
teered to help in the arranging and cataloguing of the 
articles as received. Miss Florence Smith acted as secre- 
tary and clerk and did much valuable work in marking, 
cataloguing and listing everything as far as possible. 
Others loaned their cars to go for small and fragile things. 
Mr. George D. Roe, as chairman of the Transportation 
Committee, helped tremendously by sending trucks for 
heavy furniture. Also he, as well as other newspaper men, 
helped by notices in the papers. 

Having gotten the material promised, the house ready 
and the first day of receiving the loans having arrived, an- 
other delightful phase came to me, the arranging of all 
these beautiful and precious things to the best advantage 
and with the best effect. It was like painting a picture to 
arrange the rooms. The large room on the first floor was 
to be a colonial parlor. Against the grey walls the rasp- 
berry damask hangings from the James Fowler home, 
which is now the Atheneum Building, and which were 
loaned by Miss Lucy D. Gillett, granddaughter of James 
Fowler, gave a delightful touch to the windows and room. 
Then, as a glowing center, the beautiful gilt mirror from 
General Shepard's family, loaned by his direct descendant, 
Mrs. Ronan, hung over the mantel. There were two old 
corner cupboards filled with precious china, glass, silver, 
pewter, etc. One of these cupboards was from the Moseley 
house on Union Street and one was from the old Day- 
Spencer house, now remodelled and standing on the State 
Sanatorium grounds. The first piano brought into West- 

23 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

field, and loaned by the Prout family, was a thing of grace 
and beauty but age had removed its music. Some very 
fine and priceless loans came from the family of Congress- 
man Gillett, descendants of Samuel Fowler, Esq. One 
was a letter from Paul Revere to Mr. Fowler about the 
Academy bell which he had cast in his foundry and the 
tone of which had been criticized in Westfield. This bell 
fell later, during the burning of the Academy Building and 
a few pieces of it are still owned by people in Westfield. 
Another Gillett loan was a "licquor case" of fine inlaid 
wood, delicate flasks, bottles and glasses handed down from 
the old days. Also a mahogany piece which may have been 
a "licquor cooler" in the early days but since has been a 
"washstand" and now is a beautiful little cabinet, what- 
ever its use might be. 

From this family also came remarkable portraits of very 
early work. A very interesting high backed, black walnut 
chair, in which Captain William Moseley or "Captain 
Bill" used to read family prayers; a Windsor armchair 
once owned by General William Shepard; chairs from the 
Gillett, Gaylord, H. B. Smith, Harold Moseley, Holland 
and other families, representing several periods, graced 
this beautiful room. 

A very fine Chippendale "chest on chest" loaned by Mr. 
J. J. Carl, collector and connoisseur of old furniture, added 
a great charm and dignity to this room. The family of 
Mrs. John R. Reed of Court Street loaned a portrait of Nor- 
man T. Leonard for many years a prominent attorney in 
Westfield. There were other fine pieces of furniture, old 
tables, etc., as well as portraits, candlesticks, fireplace 
fixtures, first oil lamps, the silver baptismal bowl of the 
First Congregational Church, date 1824, dainty snuff 
boxes, little boxes containing sand for blotting letters and 
wafers to seal letters in those old, old days. There was a 
pewter ink-well and goose quill, the old "toddy-glass" 

24 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

and mixer brought out to entertain the minister when he 
called way back before 1800. There was a King George 
"toby" or mug from the family of Lieutenant- Colonel 
Edwin Van Deusen, of the United States Army. There 
was a very remarkable communion service of lead, the old 
jug-like pitcher and little mugs coming from Granville and 
loaned by Mrs. Ralph S. Brown. On one wall hung a piece 
of hand woven tapestry, a part of the large collection loaned 
by the collector and dealer of antiques, Mrs. Willard S. 
Fuller of Franklin Street. Lamps and candlesticks hung 
with the old time crystal pendants added grace to the room. 
Lustre ware pitchers, egg shell china, old glass, wrought 
silver, wine carafes, all kinds of pewter; in fact more than 
one can ever describe made this room a most perfect ensem- 
ble to greet the visitor on his or her first entering the house. 

Then on the right were two smaller rooms opening the 
one into the other which were used as tea rooms, where 
refreshments were served by members of the Woman's 
Club. Each day several groups of ladies attended to this 
part of the Hostess House activities, which was greatly 
appreciated by many visitors. These two rooms were also 
furnished with old furniture and heirlooms of Westfield, 
as well as garnished with lovely flowers. In one was a 
great old sideboard which once belonged to the family of 
Governor Hale; a wondrous tall "grandfather's clock" 
loaned by Dr. A. Fowler Noble; also two other fine old 
clocks from Mr. James Brown, one a French banjo or hour 
glass clock, the other a still older shelf clock. 

One of the interesting things in this room was a strange 
old painting in water color loaned by Miss Lucy D. Gillett; 
another was a group of four Westfield sisters, of the Kneil 
family. 

A really beautiful oil portrait of a youth of about 1800 
was the center of interest over the mantel, loaned by Mrs. 
Edwina Chaffin. 

25 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Some very fine old lacquered trays were used to decorate 
the walls in the next room, as well as unique oil paintings 
from the Van Deusen family. In this room was an old serv- 
ing table from the Moseley home; a low-boy of the Silas 
Root family, from the home of Miss Frances T. Boise and 
Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker; candle stands, folding tables, 
old chairs, clocks, etc. Some very fine mirrors and a huge 
old pewter communion service loaned by Mrs. Charles 
Cooley added much to these two most attractive tea rooms, 
where it was a delight to sit and rest and taste the viands 
offered by the gracious hostesses. 

Upstairs was reserved a rest room. In the hall was a 
remarkable collection of Indian relics from this locality, 
loaned and in charge of Mr. Henry Miller of Southwick. 
He showed types of stone receptacles, arrow heads and 
hatchets, making a most instructive and interesting exhibit. 

One of the very best and I think quite the most popular 
feature of the whole Loan Exhibit was the pioneer or Puri- 
tan interior or kitchen. In planning this I made use of a 
stage setting which I had painted for a group of Puritan 
scenes presented one Thanksgiving Day on the stage at 
the State Sanatorium. The scene depicted a log interior 
with small high windows, a little wall cupboard and a 
rough stone chimney and fireplace, as well as old heavy 
doors with great iron hinges, as we know those earliest 
cabins were built. By putting up this whole scene in a 
rough old shop in the "ell" of the Strong house and adding 
logs and a red light to the fireplace, a most gratifyingly real 
effect was given as a background for the heirlooms of the 
days as far back as the seventeenth century. Dried apples 
and herbs were hung upon the walls; about the fireplace 
were the old implements — tongs, shovels, "slices" (long 
handled shovels used in the brick ovens), toasters, "grids," 
a crane upon which hung kettles of copper and of iron ; little 
three-legged iron skillets; the old bellows to blow the fire; 

26 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ladles, etc., etc. A huge brass kettle loaned from the old 
Greenough house and the Bates family, as well as a fine 
Governor Carver chair were in this quaint and ancient ap- 
pearing room. One of the old wooden cradles, spinning 
and flax wheels, as well as winding wheels, an old rush 
broom, a Revolutionary flintlock musket, ancient snow- 
shoes and threadbare very old rag carpet of lovely hues 
added their interest here. In this room were two very, 
very old wooden chests, the leather covering hanging in 
tatters from the brass headed nails. One of these is 
marked 1672 in brass nails and came from the Moseley 
garret. The other came from the old Dr. Mather garret 
and was once used by the sheriff to hold the town records 
of Westfield. There too was the old painted, wooden 
tall clock brought up the Connecticut River on a schooner 
from Saybrook before 1750 to the Moseley family. 

Here also were very old leather saddle bags used by 
Westfield doctors and farmers; the queer, round, first tin 
bathtub of old Dr. Mather's time; the stone mortar and 
pestle, heavy beyond words, used by Dr. Holland; a queer, 
most unusual and mammoth cheese basket of reed, used to 
make cheeses in old Granville. In a set of shelves against 
the wall were many curious relics of those very early days, 
such as candle moulds of many kinds; wrought iron shears 
and "frizzles"; iron candlesticks; a compass carried by 
Colonel David Moseley before the Revolution. Here were 
old stone jugs; foot-stoves • for charcoal, which kept the 
feet of colonial dames warm in heatless churches; Paul 
Revere lanterns of pierced tin; later square lanterns with 
glass; both crockery and wooden butter churns of the 
ancient kinds. This room certainly stirred one's imagina- 
tion and one's interest to the depths and appealed to all 
ages and classes of visitors. It was most interesting to 
see the children, of both American and foreign birth, sit 
or stand here and brood over these primitive furnishings 

27 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

and utensils. They asked many questions and the hostesses 
were very glad to explain it all. 

Some of the foreign born were happy here to see things so 
much "like we do at home." Some of them said that 
"Mother used the spinning-wheel now, just the same," 
or the fireplace was like that in the home "in the old coun- 
try." One dear lady of one of our old Westfield families, 
whose eyes are growing dimmer, made me go back with her 
to prove the walls were not real logs nor the bark real bark. 
This interior seemed to make us all long to linger and re- 
construct in our minds the customs and the life of our old 
New England ; the days of few and simple things all made 
by hard work and effort. Perhaps life was the bigger and 
fresher for that. 

Perhaps when we compare that restful quiet interior 
with those of our more complex life of today we feel a little 
weary and wonder if we are not missing something after 
all, that belonged to those other days. 

But opening out from this came another room and more 
precious things to study. Here were gathered the sou- 
venirs of my lady, the dainty as well as the ruder fabrics. 
There were home spun linens ; hand spun and woven blan- 
kets of wool; woven counterpanes and later marvelous 
quilts. There were all kinds of samplers worked by tiny 
hands of those far-away days but so real to us today, 
bringing up pictures of tired little maidens toiling over 
daily "stints" of fancy stitches. Here also were the 
ruffled shirts and "small clothes" of ye gentleman of past 
days ; his embroidered satin waistcoats and silk stockings. 
There were bonnets of many quaint and lovable styles 
worn by Westfield girls of 1750 to 1850 perhaps. In glass 
cases in this room were wonderful glimpses of the belles of 
the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 
From the Fowler and Gillett families, from the Nobles, 
Shepards, Aliens, Moseleys, Topliffes, etc., were laces, 

28 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

wedding things, dainty high-heeled slippers and riding 
boots, old high backed combs and lockets; all my ladies' 
finery, even corsets, or as they then were called "stays." 
Wonderful things were these with stiff board or steel placed 
in the front and which we are told were used "to spank the 
children sometimes." Here were the great old carpet bags 
and queer high hats of the early nineteenth century. And 
here we see so many of the fine old treasured things loved 
by us as well as the dear little grand dames who first put 
them in their "dower chests" so long ago. And baby 
things of daintiest gossamer, and even dolls! Yes, little, 
queer, old dolls and quaint little wardrobes for them to 
wear! 

Then came the colonial bedroom with its great four poster 
of curly maple and hand -carved posts, loaned by Mrs. 
\^'illard S. Fuller. But drawn out from under that was 
the object that the children all loved best! This was the 
trundle-bed, loaned from the Reuben Noble garret, with 
its hand woven tick, blanket, sheets and all. So many 
of the visitors to the exhibit could remember sleeping in 
one of those over fifty years ago, while so many younger 
ones were so amazed at it, never having heard of such a 
thing as a bed to be drawn out at night from under mother's 
bed to tuck the children in. And then the set of steps to 
climb up to the big bed piled so high with feather beds and 
all the rest! It seemed as if nearly every one, young or 
old, must climb those steps. 

In this room too were quaint old pictures and mirrors, a 
fireplace, old bureau and washstands, with a real old 
willow ware pitcher and bowl, as well as a very quaint 
pewter bowl and a pewter "pig" or hot water bottle, 
besides the copper warming-pan we know much better. 
This room appealed as a lovely picture of the peace and 
rest. of earlier days; much like the bedrooms at Mt. Vernon 
and other colonial houses preserved for us to see today. 

29 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Last came the "museum room" where were shown the 
relics of our wars; the precious documents relating to 
the history of famiHes of the town, etc., etc. Here were 
not only a tomahawk from the French and Indian Wars; 
swords, sabres and guns from the Revolution; spurs from 
the War of 1812; relics from the Indian Wars of the West; 
swords, haversacks, canteens, guns, mess-kits, etc., from 
the Civil War; souvenirs from the Spanish War in Cuba and 
Porto Rico; but also souvenirs of our great World W^ar just 
ended. This room the boys loved and specially the drum 
of 1812. 

A very remarkable incident happened just before the 
celebration, which brought to us one of the choicest bits of 
the exhibit. This was an old spoon unearthed by plough- 
ing on the J. Wells Loomis estate, the site of the first settle- 
ment of Westfield near the river on Main Street by the first 
bridge out from the center of the town. This spoon had the 
date 1670 on the bowl. It is of copper foundation with the 
silver plate worn off in places. It was cast in a mould. 
How strange that just now this spoon should come to light! 
It seems as if the spirits of those old settlers guided the 
hands that found it. 

Here too were priceless papers from the Royalist days of 
the Colonies; through the Massachusetts Bay settlement 
days of Colonel Pynchon and Elder Chapin; through the 
Revolution and the great deeds of our hero General William 
Shepard; through the days of the churches and ministers, 
doctors and lawyers and farmers of old W^estfield by deeds, 
writs, ledgers, letters, etc., which will remain as a most 
precious heritage to all future descendants of old Westfield 
families. Many were loaned by Rev. John H. Lockwood, 
who is writing a history of the town. 

In fact as we describe this Loan Exhibit of 191 9, for the 
250th Celebration of the settlement of the town, we cannot 
but feel we are writing this for the benefit of those future 

30 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



generations who will celebrate the 300th and again the 350th 
anniversary of this eventful date. And for that reason I 
have dared to test the patience of those future readers by 
so minute a description of the articles, heirlooms, relics and 
souvenirs shown at this date, because it may be that fifty 
and one hundred years hence many of these things will be 
gone past recall into the decay and destruction which time 
most surely brings to all things. 

We can only hope that the cherished plan that some of us 
have for some safe place to guard and keep many of these 
relics will yet come to pass for we realize that so much is 
already lost. 

Today we think we can feel and say that the Hostess 
House with its Loan Exhibit was a great success in every 
way. Four thousand people registered at the door and two 
thousand more at least were hindered from registering by 
the crush and crowd that surged in at times. Several times 
we were obliged to close the doors to the public until the 
crowd thinned out. 

Another thing that showed the appreciation of the public 
was the request to keep the exhibit opened longer, which was 
done, extending the time to nine days in all. Many have 
expressed regret that it could not have remained a perma- 
nent exhibition. I myself feel most grateful and happy 
that the undertaking was so well furthered and appreciated 
by the people of Westfield and for the many kind and most 
gratifying expressions from so many people as to its merit 
and success. 



31 



Official Program 

WESTFIEL0 

Quarter Millennial 



CEILEBa^M®!! 



Commemorating the 250th Amuversary 
of the Founding of the Town, of 
Westfield. Massachusetts. 



Aug. 3 1 , Sept. 1 , 2, 3, 

1919 



ff^SVcffwS 



Published by the Executive Committee 



32 



I ^ssssss 



Scheduled Program 



Sunday, Aug. 31. 

10.30 A. M. 

7.3QP.M. 



Special Services in all the Churches. 



Historical Meeting in the Methodist 
Church. Addresses by Frederick H. 
Gillett, Speaker United States House of 
Representatives, Rev. Lucius H.Thayer, 
Judge Michael H. Sullivan, Edwin W. 
Smith. 



Special 
Cnorus. 



Music by 250th Anniversary 



Monday,: Sept 1. 

9.30 A. M. 



4.00 P. M. 



Baseball Game at the Playgrounds. 
Shop League Teams. 
Music by Westfield Band. 
Westfield's Historical 

Pageant. 

Over 500 Performers in the cast. 

10 Episodes. 

Short's Orchestra, 22 men. 
Tickets of admission for sale at the 
grounds, Wolfpit Meadows. 
Three entrances to the Pageant Grounds. 
1-End of Mill Street Trolley Line. 
2— Highland Avenue (Highland Cars) 
3— Junction Western Avenue and the 
Granville Road. Cars leave Park Square 
2.52, 3.00 3.07, 3.20, 3.22, 3.37, 3.40. 

Automobiles will be parked in Crane 
Driving Park, opposite Pine Hill Cem- 
etery. 



33 



r 



Scheduled Program 



8.00 P. M. Band Concerts— "Old Home Night". 

.104th Band, Depot Sq. No. Elm St. 
Short's Band, Park Square. 

Tuesday, Sept. 2. 

Grand Community Picnic 

12. M. Parade Park Square to Picnic Grounds 
Mill St. 
12.30 P. M. Luncheon and Band Concerts. 
1.30 " Community Singing. 
2.00 ** Folk Dancmg and Aesthetic Dancing. 
2.00 " Program of Sports. 
8.00 " Championship Baseball game. 

(Father Mathew versus All Stars) 
Automobiles parked on the grounds. 

Community Dancing Carnival 

7. 80 P. M. on Park Square. 

Band Concerts by the 104th Band. 

and Short's Band. 
8.30 P. M. General Dancing. 24 Dance Numbers. 
9.45 P. M. Miss Barker's "Old Colonial Minuet". 

(All through Square Traffic dosed at 6 P. M.) 

W^. Scpl. 3. 

Anniversary Military Parade 

1.30 -P. M. The Parade forms on North Elm Street. 

2.00 P. M. The line of March is through Elm Street 
to Court Street, to Day Avenue, to 
West Silver Street to Broad to the Post 
Office. No Traffic allowed on these 
streets during the parade. 



34 



Scheduled Program 



3 P.M. 

Unveiling of the Major-General William 
Shepard Statue 

and Dedicatory Exercises. 

5 P. M. •"Welcome Home" Banquet and Sports in 
in honor of Westfield Service Men of the 
World's War, at Woronoco Park, Western 
Avenue. 



Free to the Public 



The Information and Housing Bureau is located in the 
Town Hall. Open Day and Evening from August 30th to 
September 4th. 

The Hostess House, containing the historical exhibit, is 
located in the old Strong house, Broad Street, next to the 
High School. Open 1 to 10 P. M., Saturday and Sunday. 9 
A. M. to 10 P. M. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Westfield's Industrial Exhibit is located on Holland 
Avenue facing Court Street. Open 10 A. M. to 10 P. M. from 
Saturday through Wednesday. 

112 Historical sites are marked by appropriate signs 
placed upon buildings or in windows by Westfield's Histor- 
ical Committee. 

Fort Ethan AUeh Machine Gun Cavalrymen are en- 
camped on the northeast comer of the M. B. Whitney Play- 
grounds. 



35 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



COMMITTEE ON HISTORICAL ADDRESSES 

William T. Smith, Chairman 
Lewis B. Allyn Eugene Doherty 

Dr. James B. Atwater Robert Chapin Parker 

Thomas J. Cooley Rev. Robert Keating Smith 

"Leaking skies early Sunday morning, followed by occa- 
sional showers even as late as noon-time, served not to 
dampen the ardor nor the enthusiasm of the hundreds of 
guests who arrived for the celebration period. Nor did 
clouded skies at church time prove a deterring feature to 
large congregations. All the citizens, former residents and 
guests were urged to attend divine service at the churches 
of their choice, or the churches of their fathers, and the 
clergymen had been requested to prepare sermons appro- 
priate to the occasion. 

"In the afternoon the sun broke through the clouds and 
as a result Westfield was visited by thousands of residents 
of this section, traveling both by trolley and auto. Most of 
these stopped and became imbued with the holdiay spirit 
occasioned by the festive appearance of the town. The 
Hostess House on Broad Street was the mecca of large num- 
bers, who visited the Loan Exhibit. The industrial dis- 
play in Holland avenue was closed for the day. 

"Family reunions without number were recorded and 
there was hardly a Westfield home that did not have some 
returned member to take part in the celebration of the 
town's birthday anniversary. 

"The arrival of the Fort Ethan Allen Third Cavalry troop 
machine gun company early in the day resulted in many 
townspeople visiting the playgrounds to see Uncle Sam's 
seasoned fighting men in a miniature of what Westfield 
witnessed during the time that Camp Bartlett was occu- 
pied in preparing fighting men for overseas service, two 
years ago. 

36 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

"In the evening long before the church bells began to 
chime their welcome and invitation to the meeting, streams 
of residents and visitors began to wend their way to the 
church. Some time before the opening of the program, 
every choice seat in the vast assembling-place had been 
taken. Had it been possible to secure an auditorium twice 
its size there is little doubt but that this too would have 
been filled. The auditorium of the Methodist Church was 
selected because it is the largest one in Westfield; but for 
once in its long history it was entirely inadequate to com- 
fortably house the crowds which sought admission. Nearly 
two thousand persons came to the opening of the town's 
250th Anniversary Celebration, and to greet its four native 
sons who spoke. 

"Speaker Frederick H. Gillett of the National House of 
Representatives was Chairman and spoke to his fellow- 
townsmen. Rev. Lucius H. Thayer of Portsmouth, New 
Hampshire, delivered the historical address, his subject 
being 'The Spirit of Old Westfield.' Edwin W. Smith, 
secretary of the executive committee of the 250th Anniver- 
sary Celebration, presented the welcome of the committee 
and the townspeople to the guests. These are Westfield's 
native sons. Judge Michael H. Sullivan of Boston, Chair- 
man of the School Board in that city, also spoke, his subject 
being 'Westfield's Future.' Although a native of Gran- 
ville, his early life was so identified with the history of 
Westfield as to make it proper to class him as one of its 
own sons. 

"An appropriate musical program was given. Mrs. 
William B. Reed, of Westfield, sang 'Home Sweet Home'; 
and the 250th Anniversary Chorus under the direction of 
Frederic Goodwin, with Mrs. Harriet Shaffer of Springfield 
as soloist, sang Charles Gounod's 'Jerusalem, O Turn Thee 
to the Lord.' In the latter part of the service it sang the 
250th Anniversary Hymn which was written by Miss 

37 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Mary S. Thayer, a sister of Rev. Lucius H. Thayer. The 
congregation also took part in the singing of this hymn. 
Miss Lena J. Bartlett, the church organist, gave an organ 
recital previous to the opening of the meeting and again 
at its close. Rev. William S. Ayres of the Baptist Church 
offered the invocation, following which the chorus sang 
Sir John Stainer's composition 'Sevenfold Amen.' Rev. 
Conrad Hooker, pastor of the Methodist Church, pro- 
nounced the benediction." — The Springfield Republican. 



38 







..„_i^":iy 



Lucius H. Thayer, D. D. Kdwin W. Smith 

Hon. Frederick H. Gillctt, Speaker of the National House of Representatives 
Rev. William S. Ayres Judse Michael H. Sullivan 

Speakers at Historical Meeting 



1EE9 1919 




of % uirorporattntt 
of tljp tflum of 

&mi5ag lEwttUi^. August 31. 1919 



250tfi ^nnibersarp i|pmn 

We have read the valiant story of the founders of the land, 
For their home the trackless forest, with fierce foes on every hand, 
Men and women of stem fibre, here for truth and God to stand. 
For faith was marching on. 

We have seen their children's children in their conflict over fate, 
High of heart and strong of purpose, rise unconquered and elate. 
Having won their independence, and in justice reared a state. 
For right was marching on. 

Here have lived the many thousands, men of brawn and men of brain. 
Giving faithful, loyal service, recking little toil and strain. 
So they wrought some goodly labor, so their town and state made gain, 
For hope was marching on. 

We have known the awful sorrow of a nation crucified. 
We have thrilled with holy fervor o'er its heroes who have died, 
We have seen the gates of freedom, here forever opened wide. 
For truth was marching on. 

We have lived thro' days of anguish, while lads' souls were passing on, 
All aflame with love and ardor, that a world might be new bom, 
They the crown of all our service, in the century's glad morn, 
When peace is marching on. 

And we sing the wondrous vision of the days that are to be. 
When the angel of His presence hovers over land and sea. 
And all men shall live as brothers, ruled by love and equity. 
For God is marching on. 

1919 Mary S. Thayer 



40 



^igtorical iWeeting 

HON. FREDERICK H. GILLETT. 
Speaker of the National House of Represenlaiioes, Chairman 

Organ Prelude, "Allegro Appassionato," 

(First Movement 5th Sonata) Alexandre Guilrnani 

LENA J. BARTLETT 

Anthem, "Jerusalem ! Turn Thee to the Lord," 

(from Gallia) Charles Gounod 

250th ANNIVERSARY CHORUS 
HARRIET SHAFFER, Soprano Soloist 

Invocation 

REV. WILLIAM S. AYRES 

Response, "Seven-fold Amen." Sir John Stainer 

250th ANNIVERSARY CHORUS 

Address of Welcome 

EDWIN W. SMITH 

Address 

HON. FREDERICK H. GILLETT 

"Home, Sweet Home." Sir Henry R. Bishop 

ERNESTINE GAUTHIER REED 

Historical Address 

REV. LUCIUS H. THAYER. D. D. 

250th Anniversary Hymn Mary S. Thayer 

250th ANNIVERSARY CHORUS AND AUDIENCE 

Address 

JUDGE M. H. SULLIVAN 

Organ Postlude. "Hallelujah Chorus," 

(from the Messiah) Georg Friedrich Handel 

LENA J. BARTLETT 

Benediction 

REV. CONRAD HOOKER 



41 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



INVOCATION 
Rev. William S. Ayres 

We thank Thee with great rejoicing, O God! thanking 
Thee for the large place in which Thou hast set us. We 
thank Thee for our beautiful homes, for the spirit of frater- 
nity which prevails in our midst. We thank Thee for all 
the prosperity of these days. And we thank Thee that 
even in the midst of bitterness and grief we have come to 
know how wondrously Thou art verifying Thy kindness in 
the lives of Thy children. 

We thank Thee for the hardy race who have gone before 
us. Do Thou grant that the memory of all these things 
that are gone may idealize the upbuilding of our lives in all 
that is strong and noble and good. May it be our joy more 
and more to try to found our community life upon those 
great principles of righteousness and fraternity which shall 
enable us to realize something more of the blessedness of 
the Kindgom of God on earth. 

So when we turn to Thee this evening, in the midst of our 
rejoicing, with deep gratitude for the blessings of the days 
that are gone, that through these things we may have a 
clearer vision of the better life into which still Thou would 
lead us, let Thy serenity rest upon our community, make 
Thee more and more dear to us, that we have come to 
realize what it has meant in all the years that are gone, in 
the training of our own lives and the fitting of ourselves for 
the fullest realization of the divine purpose among men. 

We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. 



42 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME 

Edwin W. Smith 

Lovers of Westfield and Every Friend, within or without alike, 
we give you greeting: 

It is not possible to translate into human speech the 
voice of welcome, nor to explain the attachment of human- 
ity for a particular spot of the earth. Your welcome was 
being made ready for you when first these mountains 
which we love and cherish were brought forth and when 
the streams first made glad the valley. For the hand of 
Nature had much to do in moulding the character and 
lives of the people that have lived here. Your welcome is 
found in the treasured memories of the past, in the associa- 
tions so dear to your heart, and the influences since removed. 

We have not summoned you here for joy alone, nor to 
simply mark the passing of time, but we have gathered you 
here in order that we might express to you our heartfelt 
gratitude for all that you have done to make the Westfield 
of today. For we are the happy inheritors of all the past. 
And rather than to the years that have gone we ask you 
to join with us in doing honor to the character, and to the 
conditions that produced that character, that made the 
Westfield men and Westfield women. 

Your welcome will be what you bring here in your own 
hearts. To that we will try to add as hearty a handclasp 
and as warm a heart as was ever extended to a home- 
returning people. 

Our forefathers in the fifty years that have passed since 
our last gathering built so securely and well that thousands 
have come from distant shores to join us and to share our 
civilization with us. We trust that you will find in return- 
ing home that in our citizenship with them you perceive 
the best that is in them, and that you have remained con- 

43 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

stant to something of the inheritance of the idealism which 
is New England. If you have not done this you have not 
kept the faith. But we believe you have kept the faith, 
and that before you leave us, like the watch of old, you 
will cry "All is well!" 

Our summons to you went out in love for Westfield and 
all the things that have ever been Westfield, and in the 
loyalty of your affection have you responded. Let us, 
then, in the light of the fire kindled by our common love 
make glad. 

Welcome, friends! A thousand times welcome! 

Fifty years ago, at the bicentennial celebration, an 
honored and eminent citizen of the town delivered an 
address full of the gracious sentiment that expressed his 
mind and his heart toward his fellowmen. We of a later 
generation have seen that attitude expressed in a descend- 
ant resident among us in works of good. Other gifts had 
Edward Bates Gillett than that of eloquence. One of 
those gifts has given a life of service to the republic. To 
few sons of Westfield is it given to occupy the seats of the 
mighty. Why I know not, unless it is that the supply 
exceeds the demand. But when they do achieve the 
heights Westfield loves to honor them. 

Your chairman of the evening, the Honorable Frederick 
H. Gillett. 



44 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ADDRESS 
Hon. Frederick H. Gillett 

Speaker of National House of Representatives 

I thank you my friends for this cordial greeting and I 
assure you it is a great pleasure to be with you here tonight. 

It is very difficult for me to leave Washington nowadays, 
and this is the first time I have been home since the session 
opened in May, but I did not feel that I could miss this 
celebration. On the similar occasion fifty years ago my 
grandfather was president of the day and my father deliv- 
ered the address of welcome, and although I have not lived 
here for many years it has always been home to me, and 
tenderer ties draw me to it than to any other place. 

I think the familiar lines of Hood are appropriate : 

I remember, I remember the house where I was born, 
The little window where the sun came peeping in at morn, 

for as I stand here if that window in front of me was plain 
glass I could look across the street and see the window of 
the room where I was born, and this whole area just about 
us is impressed on my memory probably as indelibly as any 
spot on the globe. In front of the academy where the statue 
of General Shepard is to be dedicated was the scene of my 
schoolboy sports. So little traveled was Broad Street in 
those days that we considered that football and baseball 
had the first right and that every passing team was an 
unjustifiable intruder upon our preserves. Never, I believe, 
was there a happier boyhood than I passed in the country 
village which Westfield then was, and seldom, I believe, 
have there been healthier and wholesomer ones. 

A boyhood in a New England town was then the purest 
education in democracy. There was an absolute democratic 
equality, without a thought or suspicion of difference be- 
cause of wealth or occupation. The qualities of the boy 

45 



/ 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

himself were the only elements of popularity or leadership. 
I think all of us, as we advance in life, as we see the future 
growing shorter and the past stretching out longer behind 
us, indulge more and more in retrospect and turn back far 
more often and more fondly to the childhood days and to 
the old home. The changes which I see in the Westfield of 
today are only symptomatic of the changes which have 
swept over all America. In the last fifty years there has 
been more change in the methods of life than have occurred 
in a thousand years before, except perhaps for the introduc- 
tion of steam. The development of electricity for street 
cars, for light, for power, the telephone, the typewriter, 
the automobile, all these have so revolutionized life that we 
seem to be living in an entirely different age. 

We are wont to complain of present conditions. It is 
human nature never to be contented and indeed I think 
it is fortunate that we are so constituted, because it is that 
spirit of discontent which makes us ever strive for some- 
thing better and is a perpetual promoter of progress. But 
the inventions of this last century and the mastery which 
man has achieved over Nature have put in the hands of 
every citizen amazing possibilities. Our mechanic of to- 
day, who lives in the ordinary tenement house, has more 
comforts, conveniences and luxuries in his daily life than 
Queen Elizabeth, with all her wealth and power, could 
command. 

And so, while we are discontented, let us occasionally 
think of what we have to be happy over. I suspect that 
any of the residents of the Westfield of two hundred and 
fifty years ago, or a hundred years ago, or fifty years ago, if 
they could only come back today and see it in its decorated 
loveliness, its fine buildings, its commodious residences, its 
broad and trim streets and lawns, they would be amazed 
and astounded and wonder what sons of theirs had created 
such a magnificent domain. Certainly, as we look at West- 

46 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

field today any native or any stranger may well feel proud 
that it seems to be representative of the very highest type 
of the prosperous progressive modern town. 

But after all the supreme test of our achievements is 
their effect on man himself. Have all these triumphs over 
Nature improved our race? Is the environment of West- 
field today developing a better character of citizen than it 
did at our last anniversary fifty years ago? We are bigger, 
the appearance of our streets and buildings and grounds is 
much finer, greater luxury is evident, but is the atmosphere 
better for the upbuilding of character? 

Ill fares the land to hastening ills a prey, 
Where wealth accumulates and men decay, 

and I confess that I am not sure, despite all of which we 
can justly boast, that when we come to the core of our prob- 
lems, the upbuilding of a better race, how much our country 
has advanced. 

The old New England town had much that was unlovely 
and yet its very poverty and the struggle and self-denial 
which that compelled developed sturdy character. It was 
the life of the small town that naturally stimulated those 
qualities which have made the greatness of America — self- 
reliance, enterprise, equality and respect for law — and as a 
country grows in population and wealth, produces large and 
congested cities, new problems arise which are far more 
difficult than the simple hardships of country life. 

Those are the problems which our country is facing today. 
Just now not only our country but the whole world is in a 
state of ferment. This greatest war of history has so dis- 
jointed production and stimulated special activities that it 
has left industry unbalanced and we are striving now to at- 
tain an equilibrium. The process must necessarily cause 
great inequalities and many just complaints and hardships. 
The enormous cost of living bears hard on every one, and 
yet I am disposed to think that those who suffer most have 

47 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

not been loudest in their complaints. It is the salaried 
men, the men whose regular but small allowances have not 
been raised in proportion to the rest of the country, who 
I believe have the justest grievance. There never was a 
time when a workman was so certain of employment or at 
wages so high, compared with his living cost, as today. Of 
course there are exceptions, but that is the rule. Today 
any man who is industrious and reliable can be assured of 
remunerative employment. But the unrest occasioned by 
our extraordinary conditions, the temporary shortage of 
labor, and the selfish profiteering by every class have con- 
stituted a consistently increasing occasion for alarm. It 
may be that only by a general crash, which will make the 
innocent and the guilty alike suffer the pangs of loss and 
unemployment, will we be awakened to the instability of 
our present condition. It will be suicidal and cruel if we do 
not develop now the self restraint to cure gradually our 
temporary ailments instead of letting them bring us to a 
sudden general disaster in which we all must suffer and from 
which we must emerge slowly by building up from the 
bottom again the industrial structure which we allow to be 
demolished. 

It is, I believe, by exercising the dominant spirit of the 
old New England town that our present threatening condi- 
tion can be remedied. Thrift and self-denial, work and 
saving, is what our country needs, and that is what our 
hard-headed, determined, sometimes unattractive nation- 
builders developed. They could sacrifice the pleasure of 
the moment for permanent future enjoyment. It is such 
self-denial that builds character — it is that which we need 
today. I believe that by harking back to the old town 
spirit of Westfield and the other towns like it, which not 
only developed themselves but sent out to the rest of the 
country a strong tide of enterprising, thrifty life, we shall 
learn a lesson. The people, a dangerous number of the 
people, are today living a life of excitement and pleasure, of 

48 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

restlessness and extravagance. And this is abnormal living 
and abnormal thinking. It is far from the homely New- 
England methods of life and of thought which first made 
America. We must go back to those methods. 

Those men looked life as it was in the face and found it 
good. They respected themselves and each other and their 
fellowmen, and were in turn respected. They owned their 
houses and there made homes for their families. With 
no prospect of immediate wealth, their point of view was not 
embittered by the fact, and they watched their savings 
accounts grow with pride and satisfaction. They were not 
ashamed of their work, knowing it to be a useful contribu- 
tion to society. They were democratic in their point of 
view, took a keen and intelligent interest in politics and 
lived the life of free men to whom that condition meant high 
responsibility fully met. 

The women folk, wives of these men, met life with no less 
healthy a point of view. They took the home which 
their husbands' earning capacity builded for them and put 
their minds and their hearts into the problem of managing 
it efficiently. Theirs was the task of finding contentment in 
what was theirs and they found it. Their happiness lay in 
their healthy children, in their pleasant homes and in the 
consciousness that they were aiding their men folk in the 
work that was theirs. 

Together such a couple lived in happiness. They fur- 
nished and insisted upon education for their children which 
would enable them to win any success their indi- 
vidual ability might make possible. Satisfied with their 
estate, peace was in their hearts instead of restlessness. 
Their ambitions were conceived in reason and they pursued 
them with a healthy appreciation of the fact that steady 
and sober methods are in the end more effective than rash 
and spectacular gambles. 

This was New England town life — not so many years ago. 
Today we see a different picture throughout the nation. 

4 49 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

We see men clamoring for the immediate attainment of 
extravagant ambitions — restless and discontented in the 
estate which is theirs. We see their women aggravating 
the condition by seeking costly and ephemeral excitement 
under the misconception that they constitute the source of 
true happiness. We see the boys and girls of today emulat- 
ing the mental attitude pi their parents toward life, think- 
ing far more of the "movies," the soda fountain, the dances 
and so forth, than of how they may develop sound minds 
and healthy bodies for the life that lies ahead of them. 

I shall not attempt to analyze the whys and wherefores 
of this condition today. It is sufficient that it is here. 
Any thinking man or woman is conscious of its presence. 
The citizens of the land must discard the abnormal for the 
normal. And the old ideas, the ideas that we of New Eng- 
land are proud to call our own, the ideas of soberness and 
thrift, are the ones that will see the nation through the 
crisis of the present to a secure and prosperous future. 

How shall we reduce the cost of living is the question on 
everyone's lips today. There is but one way in my opinion, 
the old New England way, produce more and save more, 
increase supply and you will reduce the price. But today 
the tendency is all in the contrary direction. Every one 
wants to work less hours— to reduce his production but to 
increase his expenditure and live better. The war has be- 
gotten great extravagances both in expenditure and expec- 
tation. Until the world's stock is again made good every 
nation ought to economize, and the nation can only do it 
through its individual citizens. We ought all to pare our 
expenses and stimulate our productive energies, be stingy 
in our living but liberal in our work. That is what this 
emergency demands, that is the only way to meet the world 
problem that is staggering us. If we will all take a lesson 
today from the old New England town like Westfield, it 
will invigorate our national life and promote our national 
safety. 

50 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

THE SPIRIT OF OLD WESTFIELD 

THE STORY OF A DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY 

Rev. Lucius H. Thayer, D.D. 

Mr. Chairman, Sons and Daughters of Westfield, horn of the 
old stock or by spiritual adoption equals of those to the 
manor born: 

We are gathered here with a common consciousness of a 
history covering two hundred and fifty years. There is 
central in it a great purpose, tenaciously held and honor- 
ably developed. It is characterized by a spirit which that 
purpose evoked. It is marked by the homely and interest- 
ing features of the changing customs of eight generations. 
It is replete with entertaining and revealing incident. It 
has to do with the careers of many men and women whose 
names ought to be recited and whose stories might well 
be told. It rests down upon the daily fidelities and the 
humble services of a great body of simple folk whose names 
are forgotten and who have left no memorial. It is colored 
by the hopes and fears, the joys and sorrows, the triumphs 
and defeats, the aspirations and failures, the sins and 
repentances of men and women of like passions with our- 
selves. It is the narrative of one countryside but it may 
not be understood or interpreted apart from the great 
movements of world history. 

I am conscious as are you of the scope and interest of the 
field that opens before us and, as I face the summons of this 
hour, I recall the story of a convert of John Eliot in the early 
days of New England who, when asked to give his religious 
experience, said, "I am only a poor Indian. I know but 
little and therefore I will say but little." 

And indeed but little of the abundant story need be told. 

51 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

The significant material, laboriously gathered by the early 
historians, has been so set forth in detail in recent newspaper 
articles and in the official program that he who runs may 
read. For those who would be more fully informed there 
are available the classic address of my predecessor, William 
G. Bates, the competent sketch of James C. Greenough, the 
invaluable papers of that devoted and painstaking son of 
Westfield, Louis M. Dewey, and we are promised soon the 
full and connected history from the pen of Rev. John H. 
Lockwood. We shall leave then to the historians their 
work and their meed of praise, and rehearsing some features 
of the long story, hope to lay hold upon the purpose that 
underlies it and to receive a portion of the spirit that ani- 
mates it. 

This preliminary gathering and the well planned events 
of the days to follow are justified by four ancient records 
from which we quote. At a meeting at Woronoco, January 
21, 1668, it was: 

"Voted, that James Cornish, George Phelps, Thomas Dewey and Tho. 
Noble shall goe to Springfield the first Tuesday in February next, at a 
towne meeting, to propound to the town for the settlement of our place and 
affayres, ... to lay out the bounds granted us by the Honor'd 
Gen'll Court, and to allow us to be a township of ourselves and signify the 
same to the honored Genl. Court." 

"Springfield att a Towne meeting ffeb. 2nd 1668. Upon ye motion of 
ye inhabitants at Woronoco This Town being willing to promote and 
further their desire to be a township of theirselves, . . . Deleave 
the Inhabitants there to themselves to manage their own matters . . . 
and we hope the Corte will cause to order them to be a Township and that 
they through the favor of God may grow up into a comfortable society, and 
bee a happy neighborhood to us and Our f friends and Theires." 

From the records of the General Court 28 May, 1669: 

"There being a motion made to this Court in ye behalf e of ye inhabitants 
at VVoronake belonging to Springfield, that they be a township of ymselves: 
Springfield being willing theretoe . . . This Court (therefore) Doth 
hereby grant them to be a Township, and allows them all Privileges ac- 

52 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

cording as other townes have in the Collony, And that Sd Towne be called 
Westfield." 

From a deed of 30th June, 1669, witnessed by Wollump 
and Wollamunt, we read : 

"These preasants testify that Alquat the Indian Sachem of Waranoake 
and pochasuck for and in consideration of the sum of forty Pounds . . . 
fully satisfied and contented hath Given, Granted, Bargained and sold 
. . . unto Capt. Aron Cooke, Mr. James Cornish, Mr. Joseph Whiting, 
George Phelps, Tho. Noble, David Ashley, John Roote, of Westfield, alias 
Warranoke, For themselves and ye Present Inhabitants of ye aforesaid 
Place or Plantation and theire successors and assignes From time to time 
and unto their hires forever," 

tracts of land fully described and including the major part 
and central portion of the present town. 

Thus by the grace of Springfield, by authority of the Gen- 
eral Court and by the payment of forty pounds Westfield 
became a town. 

It was an orderly and honorable beginning, but not the 
good -will of neighbors, or the purchase of land, or even 
the act of a General Court could constitute a town or 
assure the two hundred and fifty years of worthy com- 
munity life which we recall today. The future was in the 
hands of a little group of men and women whose courage, 
whose patience, whose fortitude, whose cheerful labor and 
unremitting toil, whose prudence and sense of justice, 
whose mutual good-will and trust in God would alone 
enable them to endure the difficulties, dangers and pri- 
vations necessary to subdue nature to the uses of civiliza- 
tion, to meet the assaults of a savage life challenged to a 
death struggle, and, in spite of natural self-seeking and 
inexperience to accommodate themselves to each other, 
and in parts remote from constituted authority to lay the 
foundations and develop the institutions of a just and 
authoritative civic order. 

But Westfield's future was secure and its essential char- 

53 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



acteristics guaranteed because they were inherent in a pur- 
pose that so possessed its founders that it had led them 
forth from fair countrysides and well-loved hearthstones 
beyond the sea. It was the very purpose that declared itself 
in the cabin of the Mayflower, and brought out of England 
the great Puritan migration, made up of sturdy middle- 
class folk, shepherded by godly university men, for whom 
England, then, had no place. These people settled the Bay 
Colony, established themselves along the Connecticut 
River, and in time, some by the way of Dorchester, some 
by the way of Windsor, some by the way of Springfield 
and Northampton came to this pleasant valley. Here, 
their wanderings over, they well endured the tests to which 
their purpose subjected them, building and occupying as 
free men, fearing none but the God who spoke to them in 
their own consciences and vindicating their right to be 
named among those who were the fore-runners of a new 
day. That purpose, never fully apprehended, often uncer- 
tainly held, sometimes disowned, yet really dominated 
these Westfield men in common with the other settlers of 
New England. That purpose was central in their spiritual 
experience. It determined the form of their ecclesiastical 
life and the expression of their religious feeling. It dis- 
closed itself more and more in the form and quality of their 
citizenship. For this purpose had been awakened by the 
principle of liberty, growing strong in the seventeenth 
century. It involved the determination to realize 
the fact that all men are born free and equal. It was noth- 
ing other than the urge of Democracy that was at the 
heart of this purpose. It was the glory of these men that 
they felt the urge, and their greatness that, according to 
their light and for the purposes of their day, they were 
obedient to it. 



54 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



A Habitation and a Name 

When in 1669 Westfield became a habitation and a 
name, it was made up of three small settlements in dis- 
tinct localities. The oldest was on the north side of the 
river in the region of Union Street. It was called the 
"Cellar Side," for here the contour of the land enabled 
the settlers to make their houses larger and more snug 
for the winter by excavations in the earth. Here In 1663 
George Saxton, and Walter Lee of Northampton bought 
land of one Ensign Cooper who had received a grant in 
1658; and here in 1664 John Sackett of Northampton bought 
the second early grant, farther east, of Deacon Samuel 
Chapin. The oldest highway, that from Northampton to 
Windsor, laid out in 1662, ran through this first settlement, 
connecting It with the so-called "South Side," where had 
been a trading house in 1639, which had involved Massa- 
chusetts and Connecticut in a contention as to jurisdiction. 
This was the Little River District and here in 1668 Captain 
Aaron Cook had opened the first tavern, having for neigh- 
bors James Cornish, Thomas Dewey, John Osborne and 
John Ingersoll. The third locality, shut off from the 
main route of travel and enclosed by the meeting of the 
waters, was called the "Fort Side." Settlers had been 
established here for a few years, dwelling In home lots near 
together. In 1668 the meadow land, through which the 
street of that name runs, and the two divisions of the plow 
land extending away to the river and up to Squawfield, 
were allotted to some thirteen men. The Fort Side grew 
in importance and became the center of the town life. 
Here, near the old Indian fort, was built the meeting-house 
in 1672, and the schoolhouse hard by in 1700. On the 
same north side of the Great Street Joseph Whiting had 
opened the first store, selling out his holdings in 1677 to 
John Moseley of Windsor. It was during this year that the 

55 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

increased activity of the Indians brought the order for 
"Compact Dwelling." The home lots were divided in a 
spirit of co-operation, and except two households in forted 
houses, Westfield was for a period an enclosed village, some 
two miles in circumference, protected by the rivers and a 
high palisade. 

In these days when the old Indian names are much in 
vogue, it at first seems strange that the designation Woro- 
noco, spelled in various ways in old documents, was not 
given to this town. Woronoco flows sonorously from the 
lips. It has dignity and was significant for this fertile val- 
ley. But in common with all the early settlers, our fathers 
had no liking for the Indian vocabulary of names, and 
seemed determined to christen the lands converted to the 
uses of a new civilization in good Anglo-Saxon terms. In a 
record of August ii, 1668, the town was called "Stream- 
field," a natural and pleasing designation for the region of 
two rivers, of Tomhammuck stream that turned the early 
mills, and of the town brooks that then meandered through 
the meadows or seemed to tarry in the sluggish spruce 
swamps. The name Westfield is in itself prosaic enough. 
It obviously designated a settlement west of Springfield 
and of the meeting place of the General Court; but with 
this fact was connected another fact that gives to the name 
a deeper significance and invests it with real dignity. For 
fifty-three years this town was the frontier of civilization in 
the old Bay Colony. The first inhabitants were not only 
pioneers but frontiersmen in the name of liberty. The 
men and women of Westfield were the responsible keepers of 
the outposts of civilization both against the Indians, those 
outward foes who threatened the whole enterprise and 
against those inward powers of darkness which ever assail 
the souls who under discouraging conditions seek noble 
ends. 



56 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



The Period of Testing 

During the period of King Phillip's War and of the Indian 
raids that followed, the people of Westfield gave a good 
account of themselves, but it must be confessed that in 
actual loss of life and property the settlement suffered little 
in comparison with others. When we read the records and 
realize the dangers that threatened, we accept reverently 
the judgment of the first pastor who records that "this 
handful was sorely pressed yet sovereignly preserved." 
The hindrance to the growth of Westfield in this period is 
evident. Settlers were not likely to flock to the frontier, 
and the natural expansion of the town's life was impossible 
to men who sowed and reaped under fire. The anxious 
days of men, women and children, whose fortitude made 
possible this day, must not be forgotten, but for our purpose 
we turn with special interest to two occurrences in connec- 
tion with these trying days, occurrences which reveal the 
democratic temper of mind. 

One of these incidents makes evident that these settlers 
possessed the qualities of independence and hardy self 
reliance, qualities that fit men for citizenship in a demo- 
cratic order. In March, 1676, the General Court, evidently 
in a state of panic, advised the inhabitants of Westfield that 
they could not supply them with ammunition or with men 
to protect the settlement and called upon them to remove to 
Springfield. A town meeting was held and a vigorous let- 
ter of protest, cogent, convincing and high spirited, written 
by Rev. Edward Taylor and signed by an Ashley and a 
Dewey, was sent to the Council. It was * 'generally thought 
strange that Springfield should be judged a better place for 
fortification than Westfield." To remove to Springfield 
that "hath been sorely under ye blasting hand of God," 
they said, "seemed such a strange thing that we find not a 
man among us inclining thereto." The selectmen made a 

57 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

canvass of the town, "to see who are willing to depend upon 
God in the use of means for our own defense here." And as 
I read the record and remember the decision, I think of that 
early settler, the Miller from Weymouth, whose name was 
Fearnot King. It was during this period, on March 26, 
1676, that the action of the town gave evidence of an appre- 
ciation of the common weal without which no democracy 
is possible. The record tells us "that the town considering 
the hand of God upon us in having or letting loose the In- 
dians upon us" they find it is not a time for them to carry 
on their affairs as before or to extend their private enter- 
prises, but rather to give up their former personal advan- 
tage, "that so we may carry on something together for the 
good of the whole, that so by God's blessing on our labor 
we may be in the way of getting food for our families 
. . . and we agree to plow and sow and carry on im- 
provements of this field in general." To this agreement 
were appended ten names, all but one of which are known 
in this community today. As a still further evidence of the 
same spirit was the compliance of the settlement in the 
compact dwelling order of 1677, whereby some gave up 
their beginnings outside the "Town Plot," and those 
within ' ' yielded to break their home lots and f oregoe part 
of their interest in them to such other persons as should 
come to settle on them." 

Paths to Dwell In 

The territory granted Westfield at the first was nine 
miles long and from four to five miles wide. Additional 
land was granted in 17 13 by the General Court, and in 1737 
the New Addition of 6,000 acres to the west was granted, 
the town being desirous of a good supply of building stone. 
The district to the south of Poverty Plains was incorpo- 
rated as Southwick in 1775, and the great grant of 1737 was 
later divided between the other daughters of Westfield, 

58 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Montgomery born in 1780 and Russell born In 1792. From 
the beginning and of necessity the fathers were road build- 
ers. They first opened up paths for feet to tread in and 
then laid out streets, some of them so wide that we, who 
rush about in the unforeseen motor cars, have reason to 
bless these men for their liberality. The streets were finally 
named in 1832 by a committee of which James Fowler 
was chairman. But very early South Street was opened up 
to the plow land, and the present Silver Street led out of it 
to the west, going in time on to Squawfield. The center 
of town life crept slowly up the Great Street, now Main 
Street. The second meeting-house was built on the corner 
of Meadow Street in 172 1. The brick schoolhouse was lo- 
cated quite beyond this in 1753, and finally in 1805 the 
great white meeting-house, with Its fine lines and comely 
spire, crowned the new and permanent center at the Green 
where long before the Great Street had found an end. The 
present Elm Street ran away north to Franklin Street 
along which went the way to Pochassic. Not knowing its 
great destiny, Elm Street did not venture on its way to 
Meadow Street and the river until 1 7 1 6. Our Court Street 
started west at an early date, making an entrance for the 
Sheffield Road in 1736 and the end of a way of great service 
to the traders and warriors of the eighteenth century. 
Broad Street completed the four great ways as it went south 
to find the road that perpetuates John Ponder's name, going 
out by way of the hollow to Southwick. The county road 
to Springfield was laid out in 1673, but the bridle path that 
allowed communication with Boston did not become an 
open way until late in the eighteenth century. For nearly 
a century the trade between the Bay and Western Massa- 
chusetts went by water around the Cape and passing Say- 
brook Fort, where it was wont to evade toll, came to Wind- 
sor or Hartford where the merchandise was loaded on carts 
and brought up the country road. Thus town roads be- 

59 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

came streets, along which in time new homes were built 
and the evidences of a diversified industrial life appeared, 
while the trails became highways connecting a growing com- 
munity with the larger centers. 

Set at the crossing of the ways, then as now, Westfield 
even in frontier days kept in the main currents of con- 
temporary life and thought. The information which 
formed the citizen life and gave direction to its democratic 
purpose ran more swiftly and surely than one might sup- 
pose. The policies of arrogant and unsuspecting auto- 
crats of Europe were known and discussed by these men 
who lived far from courts and kings. They recognized 
their own unnecessary suffering caused by the personal 
pride and ambition of far-away rulers. When the time 
came the colonial bands made quick steps along the trails 
to oppose the aggression of France from the north. Later 
on the Continental troops hastened along the highways to 
every front where the folly of their so-called "Rightful 
Sovereign," George the Third, summoned men who had 
learned to live orderly under law quite independent of kings. 

The experiences of the French and Indian War served as a 
training for the greater events of the Revolution. In the 
first war, Westfield did her part, added to her honor roll of 
men dead in the name of liberty, and had ready at hand. 
Captain Warham Parks, Lieutenants John Shepard and 
Richard Falley* to lead a company of their fellow-townsmen 
to Boston when the news came from Lexington, while 
Lieutenant- Colonel William Shepard found opportunity for 
such talents as rightly make him the central figure in the 
present anniversary. 

It is a significant fact that in every crisis Westfield has 
developed a competent leadership. Eldad Taylor, Elisha 
Parks, Captain John Moseley, John Phelps, Dr. Samuel 
Mather, Daniel Fowler and John Ingersoll were among 

* Great-grandfather of Grover Cleveland. 

60 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

those who so guided the community in determining "what 
measure may be best done to secure our privileges and 
whether it is advisable to take up government," that ap- 
propriations were duly made for carrying on the Revolu- 
tionary struggle, and that 250 men of Westfield, all the 
able bodied men of military age, were at one time or another 
in the war. In addition to this the town was kept steady 
in those most trying experiences of exhaustion and impov- 
erishment that came in the period after the war. When 
mob rule threatened and some well-meaning patriots be- 
came a menace to the public order, Westfield furnished 
in General Shepard the man of sufficient command and 
civic wisdom to meet the crisis. He persuaded men having 
just grievances to further patient endurance, in order that 
they might prove themselves worthy of the estate of free- 
men, and by legislative enactment and constitutional 
procedure make secure that liberty for which they had 
fought. 

With an independence characterizing democratic assem- 
blies to this day, the town, in 1786, voted to accept the 
state constitution, excepting certain articles objected to 
by its committee; and in 1788 the town objected to the 
proposed constitution of the United States. Finding itself, 
however, possessed of a larger and more important citizen- 
ship the political consciousness of the town seems to have 
awakened. Party feeling ran high at the beginning of the 
nineteenth century, when it is recorded that the demo- 
cratic or Jeffersonian party, under the leadership of Hon. 
Samuel Fowler, was usually victorious over the Federalists. 
This fact, in itself, is an indication of the radical type of 
political dissent which characterized the community. 

The Town Meeting 

The same Samuel Fowler in 1820 gave the land for a 
town house, "to be used, occupied by said Town of West- 

61 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

field for all town purposes on week days, and equally free 
for all and each Religious Society or denomination in 
town." In 1837 the original part of the present town 
house was built on this land at an expense of $3,000, the 
building being designed for a high school as well as a town 
hall. 

From the beginning the public business of the community 
was carried on in that most natural, fundamental and 
democratic of all assemblies, the town meeting. There, 
in open and free discussion, the affairs of the little com- 
munity were considered, and the decisions were made by 
majority vote. Special committees were often appointed, 
but in general the business of the town was entrusted to 
selectmen. As we read over the long list of the town fathers, 
it is apparent that Westfield was a wise democracy, accus- 
tomed to select strong men who became their title to carry 
on its affairs. Five men constituted the board in the 
years from 1730 to 1844, but the earlier custom like the 
later has been to elect three. 

A fine sense of the responsibility of the citizenship of 
freemen is evident in the record of 1698 when it was "voted, 
anyone failing to attend town meeting shall be fined one 
shilling for each neglect." Because of present conditions 
we read with interest of a vote in 1771 whereby, in accord- 
ance with an act of the General Court, there is established 
a scale of prices for merchandise and for labor. It was an 
evidence of early co-operative action, but we wonder 
whether the difficult problem of the relation of wages to 
the cost of living and the cost of living to wages was satis- 
factorily solved. Much attention was given to the rivers 
in town meetings. They are our well loved rivers and 
sources of our pride. But it is to be confessed that they 
have proved themselves to be avid, vagrant and unruly. 
Unmindful of the life upon their banks they have seized 
upon the deep loam that would fain enclose them and have 

62 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

hurried it out to sea. Unrestrained by old landmarks, 
they have made new channels for themselves or demanded 
that new ones be made for them if they were to be con- 
trolled. Impatient of the bridges, they have carried them 
away with great frequency. Several times breaking out 
of all bounds (1692, 1819, 1839, 1869, 1878) the Great 
River has searched out the heart of the town to its great 
loss. There have, then, been frequent appropriations to 
restrain the river, to rebuild bridges, to repair dikes, until 
by the wise engineering and large expenditures of 1 879-1 880 
it is believed that the river has been taught its place. 

There is evidence that the town meetings in general have 
been conducted with dignity and decorum, that they were 
attended in earlier periods by the body of the citizens, and 
that they were marked by serious and forceful discussion. 
I venture to speak especially of the town meetings in what 
I shall call the closing period of old Westfield, when among 
others Reuben Noble, H. B. Smith, Thomas Kneil, Joseph 
M. Ely, E. B. Gillett and L. F. Thayer were heard. Then 
we had the democratic forum at its best. I doubt if in any 
halls of legislation the conduct of business has been more 
efficient or the utterance of opinion surpassed in argument, 
effective illustration and real eloquence. 

The Religious Setting of the Civic Purpose 

The purpose which animated the settlers of Westfield had 
its roots in religion. They felt that it was by the hand of 
God that they had become pilgrims and strangers in a new 
land. They sought the conditions of both civil and relig- 
ious liberty. We are not surprised, then, to find church 
and state closely allied at the beginning. The town as such 
acted on the business affairs of the church, and on the 
town records are spread the votes that had to do with the 
material facts of the early religious history. The town 
meetings were held in the place of worship for many years. 

63 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

The town called the minister, appointed him house and 
lands, and was responsible for his salary. Committees of 
the town built three meeting-houses and at the first as- 
signed seats to the people. Some less important but inter- 
esting items may be noted. In 1678 Widow Noble and 
Edward Noble were to be paid two pounds, five shillings, 
for sweeping the house and beating the drum. In 1795 a 
committee of five was named "to confer with the singers 
and endeavor to revive and ameliorate the singing on the 
Sabbath." What happened to these rash men is not 
recorded. In 1812 $100 was voted for singing, the Bap- 
tists and the Methodists to be exempt from the tax. By a 
vote decided by the moderator the town voted in 1823 
to furnish stoves for the meeting-house. A corporation 
was formed in 18 16 to administer the ministerial fund, 
resulting from the sale of the "Ministry Lot" ofT Elm 
Street, which Samuel Root left to the ministry in 17 12. 
It was as late as 1829 when the old church was made 
separate from the town. 

One of the conditions of becoming a town was the seeking 
out and settling of a godly man for minister. Mr. Holyoke 
of Springfield ministered for six months and was invited to 
settle, but "as Mr. Holyoke did not give satisfaction he 
was allowed twenty pounds for his prayers, labors and 
charges." Moses Fiske was then minister for three years, 
but the first settled pastor, Edward Taylor, was waiting at 
Cambridge to be found and brought to Westfield in 1671 
by Thomas Dewey, by a four day's horseback ride guided 
by the marked trees. It was eight years later when the 
church was organized with seven foundation men whose 
family names continue with us. 

Mr. Taylor had been educated at an English University. 
He had been a vigorous advocate of Oliver Cromwell and of 
civil and religious liberty. An ardent anti-monarchist, 
he was a man well fitted to nourish and inform the spirit 

64 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



of democracy in the settlement. For fifty-eight years Mr. 
Taylor gave a leadership as preacher, doctor, educator and 
publicist that well became his office, leaving an impress 
that remains to this day. 

Five men of such quality that they lived and died in the 
service of the parish brought the succession in the ministry 
of the old church down to 1866. The last of these was 
Emerson Davis, whose practical talents and genial per- 
sonality won the regard of men. When his body was 
borne to its resting place on Pine Hill, some of us walked 
in the great procession of children who carried flowers to 
lay on the grave of their friend. 

During the pastorate of Dr. Davis in 1856 the Congre- 
gational fellowship became so large that a new church was 
desirable. The second Congregational Church was formed 
by a colony of sixty- three from the old church. A church 
building was erected in 1862, since when this church has 
continued to serve the community with numbers and 
prosperity equal to that of the mother church. 

It Is one of the anomalies of history thalt dissenters from 
England developed an established church In New England. 
An ordered and vital religious organization was undoubtedly 
a necessity for the full realization of the purpose of the 
Puritan migration. Yet It remains true that the estab- 
lishment bore hard upon the new groups of dissenters, and 
in time the old church failed to afford certain people a type 
of religious life that was grateful to them. Hence sprung 
that opposition and those contentions that accompanied 
the rise of sects in New England. These troubles seem to 
have been less evident in Westfield than in many places. 
The town, however, did drive out Its first doctor, one 
George Filer, "who did confess that he entertained Quakers 
for the reason that none else would, and further that he 
would own before the world that he was one of them." 
He was ordered to pay a fine of five shillings or to be well 

65 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

whipt for venting his heterodoxy, absenting himself from 
public worship and scandalizing the community by his 
contemptuous speech of the word and work of the ministry, 
in saying "that they turn over twenty or thirty authors 
in a week to patch up an hour's discourse or two on the 
Sabbath." 

The Baptists in early days often served as a needed irri- 
tant to the establishment in New England. In 1784 a 
First Church of that denomination, with a building near 
the County bridge, was organized by a group of people 
who had been members of the church in Suffield. This 
First Church, together with a Second Baptist Church 
which had been organized in 1787, in the district soon to 
become Russell, lived but a few years. In 1806 we find a 
reorganized First Baptist Church which later built a meet- 
ing-house near the Iron bridge and in 1819 a second one at 
West Farms, continuing as a united church until 1830 when 
the people at West Farms organized as a separate body, 
under the name Second Baptist Church. After an experi- 
ence of division and a period of unrest, we find in 1833 the 
members of the First Baptist Church united and well 
established, as the Central Baptist Church, at the corner 
of Elm and Church Streets. In their new home, occupied 
in 1868, they became one of the four strong churches of 
the town. 

Methodism came in by the way of *" Hoophole," where a 
church of that order has existed since 1794. The Metho- 
dists so recommended themselves that in 1830 the unusual 
step was taken of the town's purchasing a site for them on 
Main Street, where they became an independent church in 
1836. In the commodious building with stores beneath on 
the corner of School Street, they so grew and flourished that 
in 1875 they dedicated this great building in which we are 
gathered where, as the largest Protestant body in the city, 

* West Parish, — now Mundale. 

66 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



they worship with a more formal order and less unction 
than in the early days. 

Episcopacy had little opportunity in the average New 
England settlement for a century and a half. [It is recorded 
that about the time of the Revolution, Episcopal Church 
services were held in Southwick which was then included 
in the township of Westfield. But the Tory sentiments 
of the officiating clergymen led to the determination that 
"Episcopacy shall never be established in Westfield"]; 
and it is some evidence of the persistence of the original 
Puritan type in this community that there was little de- 
mand here for an Episcopal Church before 1863. 

The reinforcement and change in population, and some 
change in thought, have finally given that church a real 
field of service and established it on permanent foun- 
dations. 

By the organization of an Advent Church in the Bicen- 
tennial year and its recent occupancy of its new church 
home the circle of Protestant churches in the city has 
completed itself, and this, happily, with less diversity of 
name and with a larger unity than prevails in most towns 
of the size of Westfield. 

Education in the Democratic Community 

In that remarkable and forward looking program of the 
English Labor Party put out last year the ideal of the oppor- 
tunity for a full education for all was set forth convincingly. 
This was the noble democratic idea of the Puritans. They 
desired to provide the best possible instruction for all. 
They set the school beside the meeting-house symbolizing 
the importance of education. The law of 1647 in Massa- 
chusetts contemplated a great and wise system of public 
schools for the education of the whole people. Where 
there were fifty families there must be a school, and where 
there were one hundred families there must be a grammar 

67 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

school to fit for college. The early settlers undertook to 
carry out the provisions of the law as best they could. 
Before 1678 parents taught their children under penalty 
of a fine for neglect of duty. Their education was to include 
perfect reading of the English tongue, a knowledge of the 
capital laws, the grounds and principles of religion, and the 
bringing up of the children and apprentices in some honest, 
lawful calling, labor or employment, profitable to them- 
selves or the commonwealth. As one considers these 
requirements he has before him a program of education that 
the present day might well emulate. 

To the first schoolmaster, who evidently did not remain 
long, the town assigned a home lot and two tracts of out- 
lying land, with an allowance for teaching. There was a 
provision that in order to secure proper respect the wife of 
the schoolmaster should be accommodated with a pew next 
to the magistrates. The first schoolhouse was built in 
1 70 1. The second was built near the old Main Street 
school in 1753. A grammar school was opened in 1724, 
with Mr. Bull for teacher. Mr. Bull was the assistant 
minister and was allowed Friday and Saturday in which to 
get his sermon. 

But it must be confessed that in Westfield, as in all the 
commonwealth, the ideal while cherished was very im- 
perfectly realized. Not until the last decades of the nine- 
teenth century was the educational system at all adequate. 
The lack of schoolmasters is given as one reason for the 
founding of academies, so generally done at the end of the 
eighteenth century. The Westfield Academy opened in 
1800 was the first in Western Massachusetts, and evidences 
the sincere purpose of this town to advance education as 
they "rejoiced that this happy lot has fallen to us that we 
have an opportunity to impart a small portion of our prop- 
erty in laying the foundation of so useful an institution." 
For many years this school provided unusual advantages for 

68 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



the youth of Westfield and added to the life of the town 
that interest which attaches to an educational center. 
Emerson Davis, later a member of the first State Board of 
Education, was preceptor for fourteen years, and of Wil- 
liam Goldthwaite, a later principal, men of the last genera- 
tion were wont to speak with gratitude. In 1867 the 
Academy, yielding to changing conditions, was practically 
merged into the High School, where for many years Abner 
Gibbs, that great teacher and rare spirit, awakened and 
inspired youth, ably seconded for a time by Sarah M. 
Kneil whose helpfulness to the young people of an earlier 
day will not soon be forgotten. 

The selectmen had been the School Board until 1826 
when a separate school committee was elected. The 
lower schools struggled on under the district system until 
1863, when the town system was adopted and two grammar 
schools were opened. The establishment in 1844 of one 
of the State Normal Schools was of special advantage to 
the local enterprise of education. In recent years the High 
School, in an enlarged building and competently led, has 
become an important institution. By the adoption of 
modern methods in the schools at large, by enlarging appro- 
priations and equipment, the New Westfield is gradually 
achieving the main features of the democratic ideal of edu- 
cation which the fathers cherished but were unable to 
realize. 

Industry in a Democratic Community 

The first settlers left the pleasant scenes and accustomed 
occupations of England for far other than economic con- 
siderations. They did not adventure the sea and the wil- 
derness to hunt and to fish, to appropriate new acres, or to 
buy and sell and get gain. But the success of any ideal 
undertaking involves an adequate material setting. It 
should never be forgotten that the fathers' purpose was 

69 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

achieved only as the result of such hard and protracted 
labor as the temper of the present seems to disdain. Their 
success depended upon a thrift, a self-denial, and a sim- 
plicity of life such as this self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking 
age appears to scorn. It may well be that the nation they 
helped to found, and the newly created democracies which 
are its associates, may be compelled to learn that a demo- 
cratic world-order cannot succeed except as honest and 
sustained labor produces and self-denial and thrift conserve 
the material resources sufficient to appease physical hunger 
and to make possible the satisfaction of the soul cravings. 

Beaver skins, turpentine, rosin, tar and bricks were the 
first products marketed by the settlers, but the rich alluvial 
soil made Woronoco in more senses than one "fat hunting." 
Its first real development was as a village of independent 
and prosperous farmers, a type of citizen naturally tena- 
cious of an ordered democratic life. Farming has remained 
a leading industry, although great areas of tobacco have 
appropriated the acres where once diversified crops grew. 
The farms long remained centers of varied industries which 
largely supplied the wants of the household. In time the 
little shops of the blacksmith, of the wheelwright and other 
artisans appeared by the wayside. In these shops master 
craftsmen, with honest pride in their work, turned out 
products warranted to last. As industrial life changed, the 
country store became more of a feature in the town and in 
1 813 the splendid structure of the "Brick Store" appeared 
at the center among the less pretentious wooden buildings, 
forerunner of much other brick construction in which has 
been carried on the lucrative trade of the enlarging town 
and the outlying communities. 

Saw and grist mills (V14 of wheat and V12 of corn for the 
miller) were built very early on the streams and then on the 
rivers. Some of these mills continued to be of importance 
far into the nineteenth century. At Springdale, at Horton's 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



mill and at Cowles' mill the older industry made way for 
the manufacture of paper, while the power at Great River 
was appropriated for the use of varied industries. West- 
field like many other villages in New England developed a 
characteristic industry, the manufacture of whips, which 
continues with full success. This business gave scope for 
the abilities of a competent group of men like Hiram Hull, 
Jasper R. Rand, Hiram Harrison, Henry J. Bush and 
Reuben Noble. As the whip salesmen went through the 
land, first with their peddlers' carts and later with sample 
cases, they carried the name of Westfield far and wide. 
About 1840 the manufacture of cigars was begun. The 
business grew to relatively large proportions and the letter 
heads of some old firms read "Whips and Cigars." The 
piano leg factory disappeared and we failed to maintain the 
interesting business of building organs, but other lucrative 
industries have been established so that the farming village 
has become a manufacturing community, with the evident 
problems of industrial democracy. 

The Coming of the Celt 

One of the most important features of the story of the 
town in the last century was the coming of the Celtic people 
to this region. It was a part of the great migration of the 
Irish stock to this country. As the early settlers had 
cleared the land and built the roads, these new people, 
forced out of their own land by the hard experiences of 
overlordship and famine, came with their brawn and willing 
minds to do their share of foundation laying, by building 
the canals, the railroads and other public works of their 
adopted country. These young and active men and women 
also lifted a part of the work which had become too burden- 
some for the shoulders of the farmers in their cleared fields 
and of their wives in their busy kitchens. Westfield like 
other places waited for the coming of these Irish people and 

71 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



their service has been invaluable. And here I am con- 
strained to pay a heartfelt tribute, in which I am sure not 
a few of my generation will join, to an early group out of 
Ireland, who by their friendly interest, their honest toil, 
their unfailing loyalty found a sure place in the affection 
and home life of many Yankee families, and did much to 
make that home life possible. 

The first Irish immigrants came in the second quarter of 
the last century as builders of the canal and the Western 
Railroad. By the middle of the century they were well 
established here. By immigration and a high birth rate 
the stock has increased until it has become a strong people, 
who by talent and industry have enriched themselves and 
added to the prosperity of the town. 

The devotion of these people to religion has been evident. 
The first mass of record was said in 1851 in the town hall, 
on the site free for all religious societies. The first Catholic 
Church was occupied in 1853. Father Carroll became the 
first resident pastor in 1862. By the long pastorate of 
Rev. Thomas Smythe the parish was greatly extended 
and strengthened ; today the English-speaking Catholics of 
Westfield number some 3,500, in two parishes, with large 
resources, and having a full equipment of worthy ecclesias- 
tical buildings. These people, in accordance with their 
genius, have become influential in the civic life of the town. 
They have taken a full share in the wars of the republic. 
They are a people desirous of liberty and we trust them to 
maintain with the older stock the traditions of a democratic 
community. 

The Ancient Names and the Growth in Population 

We are interested in the spirit that animated them rather 
than in the numbering and naming of the independent, 
liberty-loving Anglo-Saxons whose intention it was to help 
form a Christian commonwealth, all the members of which 

72 



TWO HUNDRED AND F I F T I E T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 



should understand and obey the laws of God and of the 
state Yet there is an interest in noting how "the httle 
one became a thousand," and it is a matter of true senti- 
ment that leads us to record and cherish their names. 

In 1669, the year of the incorporation of the town, 
twenty-four names are given of those who were landholders, 
and in 1676 the population was estimated to be 150. 
A study of the early lists of grants and the table of select- 
men gives us with very few exceptions names that have 
been perpetuated to this day. These important and 
enduring names are: Ashley, Dewey, Fowler, Ingersoll, 
Loomis, Lee, Moseley, Noble, Phelps, Root, Sackett, 
Taylor, Weller. The names Kellogg, Shepard and Bush 
were added early in the eighteenth century. The Board of 
Selectmen for one hundred and fifty years, with only here 
and there an exception, was made up from these families. 
These were the names usually appended to important 
documents. They predominate in the lists of soldiers who 
went to the French and Indian and of those who fought in 
the Revolution. There are other names of great signifi- 
cance to the story of Westfield, some of which happily are 
being perpetuated as family names, but these that have 
endured for two centuries and a half in this countryside are 
of special interest at this time. 

Fifty years after incorporation Westfield consisted of 
107 households. The Massachusetts census in 1765 made 
Westfield the second town in the region with 1,324 inhabi- 
tants. At the time of the first United States census in 
1790, Westfield with a population of 2,204 was larger than 
Springfield. For some twenty years the population was 
stationary. Then the town, assuming the features of a 
pleasant and prosperous village, grew steadily to a popula- 
tion of 4,180 at the middle of the century. 

The great expectations created by the building of the 
canal were never realized, but the railroads gave adequate 

73 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

outlets for trade. Industries, employing native stock for 
the most part, grew in importance. Public improvements 
were begun. The challenge of the Civil War was ade- 
quately met and sixty more sons of Westfield gave up their 
lives that the principle of liberty might more fully prevail. 
Aspects of village life remained after the war, but by the 
end of the second century Westfield with a population of 
some 6,500 had been transformed into a town. 

The Passing of Old Westfield 

The Bicentennial came at a time that marked the passing 
of old Westfield. The old tradition was still strong. 
Men who incarnated its spirit were still alive. But they 
appear to have remained largely oblivious to what was 
happening. Some old customs of neighborliness and some 
old ways of trade still persisted. The atmosphere of a 
simple, hearty, democratic social life had not entirely dis- 
appeared. But the end of a period had come. It had 
been a good period, rich in the things that strengthened the 
mind and informed the heart. Its simplicities, its lack of 
modern conveniences, its homely ways are apparent enough 
now. We may not regret their loss but those of us who 
knew something of that period treasure our memories. 
We like to recall the park with its fence and bandstand and 
the town pump then still an institution. A real stage- 
coach carried us to the trains and drew up in front of the 
Woronoco House with becoming flourish. The yeastman 
rang his bell from door to door. The hulled corn and 
hominy man made his rounds. In season a kind soul 
brought us oysters weekly from the Sound. We played 
ball on the unkempt green in summer, often men and 
boys together. We skated on the old canal in winter. We 
were entertained by Cattle Shows on Moseley's Park and 
by fairs, held for worthy objects, in Whitman's Hall. 
Every fire was an opportunity for community co-operation, 

74 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

and always held an element of joy because of the rivalry 
between the "Bay State" and the "Rough and Ready" 
engines. We were expectant when Major Taylor's fat ox 
was to be killed. We waited at the gate once a week for 
Mr. Buell's News Letter, or later for the Hampden Times, 
papers which recorded incidents of the countryside and 
interpreted the community life. It was literature not to be 
replaced by more ambitious publications. Elm Street as 
yet did not belie its name and houses still stood in open 
yards telling of the street's earlier day. We drew our 
water from wells or cisterns and we heated our rooms with 
stoves. On dark nights we steered our courses by the aid 
of dim and infrequent gas lights. We were without many 
things which this age deems necessary, but many lived glad 
and contented days, and even the life of a town consisteth 
not in the things a town possesseth. 
* * * 

The Last Half Century 

The last half century has seen a growth and expansion 
grateful to all who care for the town's material prosperity. 
The old center gradually changing remains the center of a 
new town. Elm Street has found its destiny, and its side 
streets yield themselves to trade. On miles of new streets 
and the highlands beyond are built the attractive homes of a 
prosperous people. An adequate water and sewer system, 
electric lights, paved streets and new bridges are features of 
the new Westfield. Electric cars run along the old streets 
while the steam cars on elevated tracks no longer endanger 
life. On two parts of the old plow land extensive manu- 
factories have been built, and about one of these has grown 
up a Slovak village. On the North or "Cellar Side" other 
industrial plants have been erected in the old fields. On 
the old canal and under Prospect Hill the business founded 
by H. B. and Edwin Smith in 1854, ^'^^ developed by John 

75 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Reed, has greatly enlarged its borders. The Atheneum 
has changed its home, having outgrown its earlier bene- 
factors, and now a large library waits to be housed by the 
Whitney bequest. The hospital bearing the ancient name 
of Noble stands as a house of mercy on yonder hill, while 
the Gillett home and the Shurtleff home have opened doors 
to the homeless. Decade to decade has shown a steady 
increase in population, which was 12,310 in 1900, 16,400 in 
1 910. In this, the 250th year, approximately 20,000 
people make up the town. 

It is the character of this population that presents us with 
the most important facts of the town's growth, and more 
than any other thing leads us to speak of the "New West- 
field." At least one half of the present population is of 
other than Anglo-Saxon stock. Some 6,300 persons are not 
of the English-speaking races. There are estimated to be 
in the town some 80 Hebrews having a synagogue, a few 
Greeks and 800 Italians. There are 200 Spaniards, and 
a group of 650 Lithuanians with their own church. The 
new Czecho-Slovakia is represented by 500 Czechs or 
Bohemians, beside 500 Slovaks forming a community of 
their own about their church, 3,500 Poles with their large 
religious establishment comprise the largest element of the 
new population. A prosperous Lutheran Church serves 
the religious needs of a group of that denomination. 
Many of these people are employed in the factories of 
the town. Some on the land as farmers, and some in 
other ways bear much of the heat and burden of the 
present day. 

But other men and other races have labored and these 
newcomers have entered into their labors. They find here 
fields cleared, roads built, railroads constructed, many 
public works completed. They find provided conveniences 
of life which the immigrants of other periods could not 
enjoy. They find here the foundations of a free govern- 

76 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

ment, laid at great cost of blood and treasure. They find 
here the delicate fabric of a democratic order built thereon. 
These people have come of their own will. They have come 
to better their conditions. Many of them have come to 
escape the tyranny of old autocracies. These people have 
reason to appreciate the purpose of the founders of this 
town and to cherish a like spirit. We welcome them at 
this time as sons and daughters of Westfield by a spiritual 
adoption, asking them in their day to make their primal 
offering of labor, laying some good material foundation, 
and with us to develop and maintain the institutions of 
civic and religious liberty. 

My friends, when I read on the town's Roll of Honor the 
names of so many men of the new immigration, I am of 
good courage. 

The Spirit of Old Westfield 

It was the purpose of the founders of this town to lay some 
good foundation in the name of the God of liberty upon 
which a better future might be built. The story of the 
passing years has proved beyond a peradventure that the 
purpose of the early days was so loyally held, so practically 
expressed, so surely handed on, so truly developed, that 
here the principle of democracy has always had a vital 
existence and has prevailed to such a degree as to mark 
Westfield as peculiarly a democratic community. 

Here all facts have been given consideration and all 
forces have had their opportunity. Here competent 
leadership has always been available and wisely accepted; 
but here no individual has dominated and no aristocracy 
has established itself. Here no family has been established 
in great wealth with its group of dependents ; but here not 
a few families have accumulated comfortable livings and 
many have shared in a becoming prosperity. 

Old Westfield in all its history may be characterized as 

77 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

a community of well-to-do, independent, self-respecting 
people, incapable of subserviency and able, in spite of 
strongly held opinions, to so co-operate as to maintain a 
public spirit and to ensure the common weal. , May we not 
add that Westfield has so practically entered into the good 
will of the Gospel that what the Fathers of Springfield 
hoped for us has been true, namely: "That they through 
the favor of God may grow up into a comfortable society 
and be a happy neighborhood to us and our friends and 
theirs." 

And now, Mr. Chairman, I venture to speak for those 
sons and daughters of Westfield who have left the old home 
and are rarely privileged to cross old thresholds and com- 
mune with old friends. In fancy we often walk these streets, 
oblivious to much outwardly and materially new that is 
matter of the town's just pride. We behold things that are 
not as though they were. The associations and adventures 
of childhood again refresh our spirits. We yield ourselves 
once more to the instructors and guides of our youth. We 
look upon the faces of men and women whose example, be- 
yond any knowledge of their own, influenced our ideals. 
We take part again in those community events of long ago 
that awakened in us social insight and civic purpose. We 
seek out every spring that made glad the mind and heart of 
youth, thus refreshing our tried and burdened spirits so 
that faith and hope and love may still endure. With 
reverent steps we visit the places where we had our God- 
given visions that in the later days, having done all, we may 
stand. Perhaps, to us who thus often dwell here in imagina- 
tion, rather than to you who in reality abide here, it has 
been given to realize the full significance of such a com- 
munity life as Westfield has achieved and to be thankful 
that our youth was nurtured in this valley, where the Great 
Spirit once made revelations to the youthful Alquat, and 
where so often since mercy and truth have met together 
and righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

We have made place for other and we may hope better 
servants of the old town's later day. We have served in 
other and perhaps less pleasant surroundings, but baptised 
in the spirit of old Westfield we have sought to keep the 
faith. In the instructor's chair, in halls of legislation, in 
the pulpit, in the laboratory and office, amid the whirling 
wheels of industry and in the marts of trade, in some places 
of eminence and many places of obscurity, we have sought to 
be true to our heritage. More than this, we have sought 
to hand on the tradition. Our sons empowered by the same 
spirit have fought with your sons in the Great War for the 
right. Some, bearing names honored in the last generation 
and carrying the high hopes of many old time families, have 
laid down their very precious lives that democracy might 
prevail in all the earth. 

This spirit will endure in the new Westfield and will 
empower it for future adventures in the field of human 
freedom. For there press upon us the very difficult, 
dangerous and yet necessary problems of democracy seeking 
its logical development in the field of industry. The spirit 
will endure though we have carried out to burial the men 
of the past in whom it lived, developed and expressed itself. 
For it is the spirit of liberty that can never die. It is that 
urge at the heart of life whereby men seek to come into 
fellowship with the eternal Spirit, seeking the freedom of the 
Sons of God. Through much weakness and weariness, 
through mistakes and failures, through new ways of preju- 
dice, injustice and violence, which arrogance and tyranny 
have evoked, by the highway of public service and the low- 
way of private devotion, the race moves on to its goal. 
The movement is necessary and the goal is sure. The pur- 
pose that characterized old Westfield is part of an eternal 
purpose, a part of the constant struggle of the human soul 
to answer the call, "Son of man stand upon thy feet and I 
will speak with thee." Speak with thee! Not with an- 

79 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Other! Not with potentates of any name, ecclesiastical, 
political or industrial, but with every man in the kingly 
and priestly estate of his own manhood. Long ago, a 
deliverer of his people and a law-giver for the ages, burdened 
by the sense of his lonely position and long sustained leader- 
ship, exclaimed, "Would that all the Lord's people were 
prophets!" In that phrase, Moses, the man of insight, 
described the condition without which no democracy is 
possible. He visioned a time when all men, illuminated by 
the light that lighteth every man coming into the world, 
should be growing in wisdom, power and love and should 
live together in good will, achieving the full freedom of the 
sons of God. 

In July last, when France held her transcendent festival 
and the victorious troops marched the streets of Paris, an 
old lady, who had a small apartment with three windows 
near the gate of St. Martin, invited a group of the mutilated 
soldiers to view the scene, but though they were crowded, 
she insisted that the middle window be left vacant, saying, 
"It is reserved." When the scene was over, the guests 
remarked that they might have enjoyed the use of the 
window so evidently unoccupied, but their hostess replied, 
"Yes, yes, they did come, they were here!" "But who 
were they then? We did not see them." "My son, my 
grandson, my son-in-law, all three were killed in the war." 

My friends, let us be conscious in this hour of the men of 
old Westfield who have lived and died in her service. Let 
us reverently provide a place for them that they may view 
the glad events of this festival occasion which their service 
has made possible. 

Let the unveiling of yonder monument on Wednesday 
next reveal to us something more than a commanding figure 
in bronze. Let it be a ceremonial of such spiritual import 
that, the veil being withdrawn, we may henceforth be con- 
scious in all our citizen life of the great cloud of witnesses 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



with which we are ever compassed about, so that we may 
run with patience and fidelity the race that is set before us. 
May we have fellowship with the inspiring figures of the 
past, some with the strange mien and unaccustomed garb of 
Colonial or Revolutionary times, some with a more familiar 
aspect and the prosaic dress of the later days. Edward 
Taylor, Eldad Taylor, Israel Ashley, John Moseley, William 
Shepard, Samuel Fowler, Emerson Davis, Hiram Harrison, 
Edward B. Gillett; minister, publicist, physician, captain, 
general, politician, teacher, man of affairs, lawyer; these and 
others such as they all died in faith not having received the 
promise, God having provided some better thing concerning 
us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Woronoco, 'twas good hunting 

Made the Red Man joy in thee; 
Yet thy subtler charms did waken 

Savage souls to ecstasy. 
While new races seek thy bounty 

In glad labor, free from strife, 
Feed the mind, the soul forget not. 

Nourish all the heart of life. 

Ancient Streamfield, well encircled 

By thy river's ardent arms, 
Meadow brook and mountain streamlet 

Added grace to other charms. 
Fertile valley, thy clear waters 

Still flow seaward as of old, 
Symbol of the generations 

Who have tilled thy teeming wold. 

Westfield, on the old time frontier, 

Bold of heart and living free, 
Men and women held the outposts 

Of a new world liberty. 
As the soul of man moves forward 

On the democratic way, 
Daring now the spirit's frontiers, 

Westfield, serve the world's new day. 

8i 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

ADDRESS 
Judge Michael H. Sullivan 
Friends of the Town of Westfield: 

I deem it a great honor to be here this evening, and to 
be invited to say a word; because, in the first place, I am 
not a native of Westfield, and, of course, to be invited to 
a birthday party is to be admitted to the bosom of the 
family; and, secondly, because I have a great affection for 
Westfield. 

Bom in a little town to the west — Granville — I very 
early in life yearned to come down into this beautiful val- 
ley and see what Westfield was like. Thirty-five years ago 
Westfield to me was a huge city. I recall now the pungent 
odor from the tar sidewalks as I came to the head of Court 
Street. The drive down through Court Street, with the 
Soldiers' Monument at the end, was almost enough for 
one day. 

I recall, better than I do what is there now, the view 
on Elm Street as I turned from Court Street by the monu- 
ment. The old mortar and pestle sign pointing out Hol- 
land's drug store and the great clock that indicated the 
place of J. A. Lakin, the optician. I never could quite tell 
by that clock whether it was twenty minutes of four or 
twenty minutes past eight. Then, immediately across the 
Green, that cameo of the town, were the old feed troughs, 
where the country horses took their lunch. In the center 
of the roadway part of the Green was the old watering tub, 
where the horses of this and adjoining towns quenched their 
thirst. The view down Elm Street, looking north, with the 
rows of hitching posts on either side, nearly always tenanted, 
sometimes by horses that proclaimed humane and conscien- 
tious owners, and sometimes — I fear oftener — by horses 
that proclaimed inhumane owners. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Finally the trip across Great River, over the bridge that 
was then nearly new. It was a long time before I associated 
Great River with Little River. I thought that Great 
River meant that it was among the great rivers of the world. 
Then, after crossing Great River bridge, to come to the 
Boston & Albany Railroad, with its huge gates, that to 
the country youngster seemed lifted and lowered in some 
mysterious way. To view all these things once or twice a 
year were great events for a boy who lived where the whistle 
of a steam engine could not be heard and where there was 
not water enough in one spot to drown in. 

Decoration Day in Westfield was the event of the year! 
To hear the band play; to see the Soldiers' Monument beau- 
tifully decorated by the high school boys; to march with the 
veterans,— or at least to go along on the sidewalk beside 
the marching veterans,— with the band playing, to the 
cemetery, and to see and to hear the exercises, — that day 
did for a full twelve months. 

And later on, when the educational opportunities in the 
hilltop town had been exhausted,— or an indulgent teacher 
said so,— to come down to the Westfield High School! 
The thing, I suppose, that will stay with me longest as an 
impression about the High School was the fact that there 
were men teachers there. Men dressed up, working but four 
or five hours a day, teaching boys and girls, was something 
new to me. All the men that I had theretofore known did 
no such work,— not one of them. Usual as it may seem to 
us now, yet it was a very outstanding fact to me my first 
year in High School. The principal was some wonderful 
man! The superintendent, of course, was only to be looked 
upon from a distance! 

My first week in the High School was the longest week 
mentally that I have ever known,— even to this day. 
When Friday came and school closed for the week I could 
not wait until the next day, when the team was to come 

83 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

for me, but went the nine miles home, all uphill, a rise of 
eleven hundred feet, as you know, in less time than it was 
many times made by a horse. Because I was going home! 

And that is the thing about this meeting that makes it 
intimate and serious. It concerns itself with home, with 
the days of youth, the days of small things, and the days 
of impressions that are most deep and most lasting. 

But I was asked by your committee to say something of 
the future, and so I must not digress further. As the speaker 
intimated, it would be only a very courageous man who 
would attempt to forecast for more than a day what is 
before us. I doubt if, in the mad race which we are all 
engaged in, we ever think more than a week ahead. At 
any rate, very few of us do. A decade seems like an age, 
as we look forward to it, and when we realize what has been 
achieved in the world since you had your last celebration 
we are amazed. Indeed, the race has traveled very far! 
It becomes all the more astounding when we realize that 
most of the wonderful material progress has come in the 
last half of that fifty-year period. 

Your committee should have selected a man with 
imagination — great imagination — I have none — to tell you 
simply a little about what the next fifty years will bring 
forth. But before I attempt to give you the slightest sug- 
gestion of what I believe will happen I would like to recall 
to your minds briefly what wonderful things came out of 
the last fifty years. 

To speak alone of one thing, — electricity. What wonders 
have come out of that one thing! I was not bom when 
you had your last celebration, but I was four years old 
when the first electric light was made, — the very first one; 
and that was long before the electric light became com- 
mercialized ; yet we find ourselves thinking now that elec- 
tricity has always been with us. 

I am about the age of the telephone, and yet we hardly 

84 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

think of the telephone now, any more than we do of the 
air that we breathe ; it is so common. We were reminded of 
its part in our lives, however, a short while ago in Boston, 
when a week's strike almost disrupted many lines of busi- 
ness and about one-half of our homes. 

Out of electricity have come the telephone, electric light 
and power, and from the power came electric cars. The 
explosive engine was not possible without electricity. And 
so the automobile and aeroplane would not have come to 
us were it not for the explosive engine. The graphophone 
is another result of electricity, the X-ray, that has saved 
thousands of lives and millions of dollars, and the moving 
pictures, perhaps the youngest member of electricity's 
family. 

What tremendous things have come out of electricity! 
What a tremendous difference electricity has made in our 
lives! — just those few children of electricity! 

And there should be added two other things, — not chil- 
dren of electricity, but just as wonderful as any of them, 
and perhaps more useful, for it is perhaps due to their dis- 
covery that many of us are here tonight and thousands of 
others are living. I refer to the antiseptic method of sur- 
gery and antitoxins. 

Most of the above named inventions and discoveries have 
been developed and put into practical use in the last half 
of the fifty years that we are concerned with. That is, in 
the last twenty-five years. But even more astounding, 
perhaps, is what has taken place in the last five years, 
which is only a tenth part of the period we are concerned 
with. 

A great World War has been fought, and, we hope, the 
world purged of much of its evil thereby. One of the 
greatest handicaps, perhaps, that the human race has ever 
had has been abolished in this country, we believe, — namely, 
intoxicating liquor. Finally, one half of the population 

85 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

heretofore disqualified from taking part in our government 
is now to be admitted to full partnership in government. 
Women are about to come into full suffrage. Therefore, 
with these three tremendous happenings in the last five 
years, who can say what five years more will unfold, to say 
nothing of what the next fifty years will reveal! 

But, my friends, I venture that in the next fifty years — 
and whether in the first twenty-five or the last twenty-five 
I do not say, but in the next fifty years — we will have 
turned our attention to art, to the finer side of nature, to a 
greater extent than we have in the past. I think the coarse, 
material age is about ready to stop for a breathing spell. 
And what will it mean? 

First, it will mean wonderful things in education. We 
will educate to live and for life, both. Schools will combine 
living and life, and I hope those two will be combined so 
that neither one will run away with the other. 

Secondly, I believe that we will do more to beautify the 
places wherein we live, the towns and cities, than we ever 
have done before. 

Have you ever considered what we have done with the 
most beautiful things that Nature has given to us, — our 
rivers? We have settled upon them. We have harnessed 
them. We have made them unsightly, instead of using 
them for what I think some day we will come to see was 
their real and most important function. 

We have allowed the railroads to run through the parlors 
of our houses, — right through the center of the towns. 
We have built our guest houses — the hotels — in congested 
districts and upon railroads. We have not tried to show 
strangers the place where we live and to make them com- 
fortable and happy while with us, so that they would talk 
pleasantly of us when they went away; but we have been 
more concerned in putting them where we could commer- 
cialize them. 

86 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Now, I think those things are going to pass in the next 
fifty years. I hope in the first part of it, too, because I 
wish to live to see it happen. But if it does not come until 
the last part of it, even then will this prophecy be fulfilled. 

Now I wish to make the suggestion concrete. I believe 
you will retain the Green, — a cameo on the breast of the 
town. At any rate, I hope you will. I believe that you 
will establish on one of the four corners of it a great City 
Hall, — for this town will be a city in a few years, and in 
fifty years from now it will have a population of 75,000 
people, at least. On another corner of the Green will be 
built a great Chamber of Commerce ; on the third corner a 
Community House, — a house for community interests, 
where all interests may be welded and amalgamated, — a 
melting pot, as some people vulgarly put it sometimes; and, 
lastly, on the fourth corner you will have the old Atheneum 
— but probably called the Public Library. And with these 
four edifices, representing government, industry, commu- 
nity co-operation and interest, and mental development and 
recreation, you will have the ideals of the old town as they 
have been enunciated here this evening, and which have 
made Westfield great, and will make it even greater, as the 
fathers intended. 

At that time I think you will have great broad highways 
crossing at about the Green, running east and west and 
north and south. I hope that you will extend Broad Street 
at its present width directly south to the sister town of 
Southwick, which in the day I speak of will be annexed to, 
and a part of, the city of Westfield. I believe that, run- 
ning north from the Green, Elm Street will be made a con- 
tinuation of Broad Street. Great River will be unchained, 
the dam removed and the river bed sunk. The banks will 
be grass or flower covered, with no white sand islands ap- 
pearing in the lowlands nine months of the year. The river 
will be a line of beauty. 

87 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Your Boston & Albany Railroad will be diverted as far 
back as Lee's Crossing, to the east of Sunset Hill and Upper 
Pochassic, joining the present line again below Woronoco. 
The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad will use 
the Boston & Albany tracks from the East Mountain dis- 
trict to Lee's Crossing, and then by a new route of its own 
across Little River, joining the present location below the 
old Southwick line. 

Your hotels will be on your terraces to the east and to 
the west of the town, — one on Prospect Hill, with a golf 
course attached, that will extend away nearly to Camp 
Bartlett. Another hotel on the terrace to the west, where 
your present Country Club house stands, with a golf course 
extending along the ridges of the river. 

You will have four of the best air route stations in West- 
ern Massachusetts, one standing on each point of the com- 
pass. Travel by railroad in the future will be very little 
known. Nearly all travel of any distance will be through 
the air. Street cars will be only a memory. Horses will 
not be allowed within the city limits, and can only be seen 
as curiosities in corrals and equitation fields. The streets 
will be paved with a noiseless substance and cleaned by 
vacuum process. 

You will have, perhaps in the location beyond the 
present Woronoco Park, a large campus, with a beautiful 
cluster of Normal School buildings on one side of it, in 
which courses will be offered that will prepare teachers for 
every grade offered in the public schools. On the other 
side of that campus will be a beautiful cluster of buildings 
called the State University. 

To the south will be clustered all your manufacturing 
industries, and not a wheel of one of them turned by power 
made on their sites. They will be run by electricity, 
which will be generated far beyond the city limits, on the 
hills to the west, where there is abundant water power now 

88 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

wasted. There will be no coal, with its smoke nuisance, 
used in generating power. 

The farming land from Westfield River Valley to the 
Farmington River Valley will be used as intensively as the 
farming land of Germany was used before the war. It will 
be covered, I hope, with a goodly number of the returning 
soldiers, who have already applied for opportunity to own 
and develop farm land. Then every year you will see upon 
those hillsides the annual encampment of the American 
Legion, — the men who actually fought for and preserved our 
liberties. 

Forests will be grown and tended as crops are now. New 
England, I am astounded to find, now has to import about 
one half of the lumber that it uses for building purposes. 
I can remember the day when New England exported 
lumber, and that day will come again, I hope. But it 
cannot come unless forests are cultivated. 

Now, if you can for a moment look at the picture of 
Westfield fifty years from now, you will not feel a bit more 
astounded than the people who were here fifty years ago, 
and did not stay but a year or two after that time, would 
feel today, — as one speaker has already said, if they were to 
return and see it now. 

I heard a story a short time ago of a man who had been 
dead forty or fifty years and suddenly returned to earth. 
He found it so hard to accustom himself to the traffic 
underneath the ground in the large cities, as well as on the 
surface and in the air, that, without saying which of the 
two places he came from, he expressed a desire to return 
immediately. 

And so, friends of Westfield, this little picture that I 
have drawn is so short of what will actually befall in the 
next fifty years, so short of the actual exploits and achieve- 
ments that will have come when this town is again cele- 
brating her birthday, the three hundredth, that I think I 

89 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

shall apologize for it. But I do say to you, that if, after 
the purging of the war of the last five years, with the two 
great forces, — one evil, about to end ; the other constructive, 
about to begin, — I say that if you cannot get somewhere in 
the next fifty years far beyond the imagination of anybody 
now living to suggest, even, it will be because you have not 
followed the ideals that have been Westfield's for two hun- 
dred and fifty years, — it will be because the vigor and enter- 
prise and initiative and ingenuity of the American people 
in this section have failed. But I cannot believe that they 
will fail. 



90 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER i, 1919 
LABOR DAY 

"Gayly decorated booths all around the Green blos- 
somed forth today with soft beverages, banners and 'red 
hots,' to say nothing of the dozens of other articles offered 
for sale. The historical exhibit and Hostess House on 
Broad Street were visited by scores, who especially admired 
the New England cabin interior; and the tea room was 
well patronized. The Boy Scouts erected a tent head- 
quarters next door south of the Hostess House and radiated 
from there all over town selling souvenir programs. 

"This, the second day of the 250th Anniversary Cele- 
bration opened with a parade by the Westfield Brass Band 
from in front of the Town Hall to the M. B. Whitney play- 
ground on the south bank of the Westfield River, which 
at the jubilee of fifty years ago was under water because 
of the flood which wrought all manner of havoc. Here 
Uncle Sam's dare-devil acrobats in khaki, on spirited, 
careening mounts, gave an exhibition which will long be 
remembered by the three thousand Westfieldians and 
guests who witnessed the stunts performed. The riding 
took place in plain sight of the grand-stand and bleachers, 
but just northwest of the diamond. 

"The program of the cavalry troopers from Fort Ethan 
Allen, Vt., first of all displayed the regular cavalry drill in 
troop formation. Then there was executed, with splendid 
horsemanship, a fancy drill by the whole troop. This 
involved spirals, corkscrews and the double circle. One 
of the most dramatic parts of the whole performance was 
what is termed the 'rescue race.' Cavalrymen came onto 
the field, dismounted and fired their guns as a signal of 
distress as they would do if their horses had been shot 
under them. Their companions then dashed into view 

91 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

and effected a rescue. Cossack riding, cross-stirrup fashion 
and standing up, furnished thrills a-plenty for the specta- 
tors. But doubtless the most thrill-starting number of all 
was the Roman race with one man astride two horses. A 
couple of the men performed the 'monkey drill,' which is 
often done in the Wild West shows; also in range riding 
they did the Wild West saddle vault and picked up hand- 
kerchiefs from the ground with ease. Another drove a 
team of four horses, and two others risked their necks to 
supply fun for the crowds which swarmed the fields and 
slopes around. 

"The troop was made up of sixty-five men, and in addi- 
tion to its many horses, brought with it two motor- trucks 
and an automobile side-car. The men have been sleeping 
out in the open in pup tents since their arrival early Sun- 
day. This morning at 11.56, at the shrill of a whistle, six 
of the troop's nine, dust-colored, large tents went up into 
place simultaneously, and soon tent-stakes were pounded 
in and the men had things shipshape for any kind of 
weather. The troop will march in the big parade on Wed- 
nesday afternoon." — The Springfield Republican. 

BASEBALL COMMITTEE 

William J. Chapman, Chairman 

Baseball enthusiasts keenly enjoyed the baseball throw- 
ing contests and the base-running contests which were 
held Monday morning on the Whitney playgrounds. Par- 
ticipants were stationed far out in the field, and attempted 
to throw the sphere so as to hit the home-plate. John 
Dowd won the first prize, and Lester Robinson the second 
prize. Henry Miller won first prize in the base-running 
contest and "Clickey" Clark came out second. The first 
prize in each contest was $3, with $2 as a second prize. 



92 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Shop League Ball Game 
One of the most enjoyable events of the morning was 
the baseball game between the two leading teams of the 
Westfield shop league. The Westfield Manufacturing 
team had hoped to be one of the two teams to play, but 
the Foster Machine Company and the H. B. Smith Com- 
pany nines finally were the ones to clash. The Foster 
players defeated the foundrymen 4 to o in a game of tense 
moments, 

Monday afternoon the central streets of the town were 
jammed with hundreds of automobiles bearing parties from 
nearly all points in Western New England to the historical 
pageant at Wolfpit meadows. The police should be com- 
plimented upon the masterly way in which they handled 
the immense influx of traffic. The Boy Scouts who helped 
in many places also deserve much commendation. 

Crane Park was black with the cars parked there under 
a check-system of the Pageant Parking Committee, who 
agree that over twelve hundred cars were accommodated, 
and the number of people attending the pageant was esti- 
mated to be from eight to ten thousand. 

The diversions in the evening were more of the "homey" 
than spectacular sort. "Visiting round" was in order and 
many from out of town called on old acquaintances. There 
were informal family reunions, notable among which was 
a reunion of the descendants of General William Shepard 
with about forty in attendance. In this group was former 
Senator Wetmore of Rhode Island, great-grandson of 
General Shepard, and one who contributed largely to the 
Monument Fund. Candles glowed warmly in not a few 
windows and crowds were out to listen to the band con- 
certs at eight o'clock. The 104th Regiment band played 
on Two-mile Falls Park and Short's Band on the Green. 



93 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



PAGEANT OF WESTFIELD 

PRESENTED AT 

WOLFPIT MEADOWS 
Monday, September i, 1919 

EXECUTIVE BOARD 
Mrs. Patty Lee Waterman Clark, Chairman 
William K. Buschmann Mrs. Mary Myers Parker 

Mrs. Grace Dillon Doherty Mrs. Frances Abbott Sackett 

Mrs. Harriet Dyson Ely Rev. Robert Keating Smith 

Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler Miss Catherine E. Veasy 
Edgar Lathrop Gillett Mrs. Eva Phelps Wright 

Edwin Bancroft Hedges 

Pageant arranged and staged under the direction oj 
Harry E. Munsey and Miss Josephine C. Reed 

MUSICAL DIRECTOR 
E. R. Hawley 

HISTORICAL CENSORS 

Louis M. Dewey Rev. John H. Lockwood 

Frank Grant Lucius F. Thayer 

James C. Greenough Mrs. Maria Moseley Whitney 



94 




Wolf pit Meadows 
Part of the Audience 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



PAGEANT COMMITTEES 

COSTUMES 

Mrs. Grace Dillon Doherty, Chairman 
Mrs. Helen Goodell Hull, Vice- Chairman 

Mrs. L. Cornelius Atwater Mrs. Esther Hays 

Mrs. E. D. Avery Mrs. Sadie Knox 

Mrs. J. W. Benjamin Mrs. J. Edward Mesick 

Mrs. Henry E. Bolton Mrs. Harry S. Miller 

Mrs. Eugene Brisette Mrs. A. F. Osborne 

Miss Carrie Campbell Mrs. Collins Pomeroy 

Mrs. Francis Caouette Mrs. F. A. Phelps 

Mrs. Orville C. Carpenter Mrs. C. K. Prince 

Mrs. William J. Chapman Mrs. E. J. Robertson 

Mrs. George W. Clapp Mrs. Herbert O. Sanford 

Mrs. George W. Collier Mrs. Fred Schmidt 

Mrs. G. W. Deming Mrs. Robert J. Tubes 

Mrs. Frank H. Dorman Mrs. Mary Twining 
Mrs. Frederick N, Ferry 

OLD-FASHIONED COSTUMES 
Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker Mrs. Grace Weller Loomis 

FUNDS 

William K. Buschmann, Chairman 
Miss Mary E. Lyman, Vice-Chairman 
Charles E. Avery Harris B. Moulton 

PAGEANT GROUNDS 

Edgar L. Gillett, Chairman 

William K. Buschmann 

Edwin B. Hedges [ Vice-Chairmen 

Rev. Robert Keating Smith 
Ralph D. Gillett, Jr. David Moseley 

James Hagar Frederick L. Parker 

George Jachym Ralph A. Prince 

John R. Kirwin Charles Rehor 

Thomas T. Logie George W. Roraback, Jr. 

George W. Loomis 

95 



WESTFIELD 



M A S S A CHUSETTS 



MISCELLANEOUS 

Mrs. Mary Myers Parker, Chairman 

C. K. Prince, Vice-Chairman 
Miss Anna Clark Mrs. H. C. Washburn 

Mrs. H. Arthur Kernen Mrs. George A. Upson 

Mrs. Lewis C. Parker 

MUSIC 

Edwin B. Hedges, Chairman 
E. R. Hawley, Vice-Chairman 

Luther Allen Miss Ida Lyons 

Rev. W. S. Ayres Clarence Miller 

Miss Lena J. Bartlett Mrs. Harold Moore 

Miss Alice C. Brown Miss Elizabeth Winslow 

Miss Mary Furber Mrs. J. Freeman Wood 
Rudolph Kratochvil 

PUBLICITY 

Mrs. Harriet Dyson Ely, Chairman 
Edward G. Clark, Vice-Chairman 
Harry Bailey Mrs. H. C. Lane 

Mrs. Roger Butler Arthur Long 

Hempstead Castle Mrs. J. Wells Loomis 

Roy Chambers Mather Mosely 

Thomas R. Cooley Frederick J. Tooke 

J. Chambers Dewey Bernard C. Wolcott 

TALENT 

Mrs. Frances Abbott Sackett, Chairman 
Rev. Robert Keating Smith ] 
Miss Catherine E. Veasy 
Mrs. Eva Phelps Wright 



Vice-Chairmen 



William Ahern 
Miss Ida Ashley 
Miss Helen Austin 
Mrs. W. S. Ayres 
Mrs. Charles H. Beals 
Donald Bridgman 
Mrs. Marguerite Fowler Bridg- 
man 



Mrs. Edward Carroll 
Mrs. Miles D. Chisholm 
Mrs. Donald Clark 
Mrs. George Clark 
Miss Della Couse 
Mrs. Frank Cowt.es 
Mrs. Edward Crotty 
Mrs. William P. Dougherty 



96 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Charles F. Ely 
Mrs. Leland Gilman 
Mrs. Frederick Goodwin 
Mrs. Edwin B. Hedges 
Mrs. John Hibbs 
Charles Hickson 
Mrs. Robert Hollister 
Mrs. John L. Hyde 
Mrs. Charles J. Iles 
Mrs. George H. Janes 
Mrs. Louis L. Keefe 
Miss Mildred Kobera 
Harry C. Lane 
Miss Mary Long 
Mrs. Dennison Loomis 
Mrs. Peter M alone 
Mrs. James McCarthy 



Robert McMahon 
Mrs. Howard Noble 
Mrs. Morris Pomeranz 
Mrs. George Pratt 
Mrs. Burton A. Prince 
Miss Mildred Rehor 
James G. Rivers 
Mrs. Florence Sackett Rivers 
Mrs. Archie D. Robinson 
Mrs. Frederick H. Scott 
Mrs. Frederick F. Shepard 
Mrs. Matthew W. Shine 
Mrs. Harriet Strong 
Mrs. Henry G. Taylor 
Mrs. Michael Wholean 
Mrs. Charles B. Wilson 



TICKETS 
Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler, Chairman 
George E. Robinson, Vice-Chairman 



Mrs. Chester H. A^be 
Mrs. S. Augustus Allen 
Mrs. Lewis B. Allyn 
Mrs. Collins Atwater 
Mrs. Charles H. Bartlett 
Mrs. James H. Clark 
Mrs. D. M. Cole 
Mrs. Charles Cooley 
Mrs. Harry Cowles 
Mrs. J. M. Dutton 
Edward T. Fowler 
Darwin L. Gillett 
Mrs. Darwin L. Gillett 
Miss Lucy D. Gillett 
Mrs. James Hagar 
Mrs. E. R. Hawley 
Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker 



Mrs. George Hubbard 
Mrs. Jeannette Atwater 
Miss Mary Kasper 
Mrs. Joseph A. Kenyon 
Mrs. Robert Lane 
Mrs. Lillie Lambson Lilley 
Mrs. Elizabeth Way Lozier 
Mrs. Richard J. Morrissey 
Mrs. Nan Wilcox Moseley 
Mrs. Mary Snow Parker 
Mrs. Bertha Brooks Parks 
Mrs. Helen Sadowski 
Mrs. Florence Ely Smith 
Mrs. James Taylor 
Miss Mary S. Thayer 
Mrs. Jennie Austin Warren 



Ives 



97 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



SYNOPSIS OF PAGEANT 

EPISODE I 

Father Time and the Dawn of Creation 

In the distance a form can be seen approaching accompanied by many 
white-draped figures. These are followed by a group of beautiful wraith- 
like creatures, clad in exquisite colors, with veils drawn over their faces. 
As they advance, voices are heard singing a weird chant. Behold! It is 
Father Time who sings: "I come I know not whence, — I go I know not 
whither, — for I am Time." Thus he passes on with his ghostly followers. 
But the others remain, and as the chanting almost imperceptably changes 
to soft music and the alluring strains increase in volume, they lift their 
veils and begin a dance symbolizing "The Dawn of Creation." This 
dance of joy is suddenly interrupted by an Indian war-whoop, and they 
flee in confusion. 

Father Time George Bailey 



CHORUS 



Beatrice Abell 
Frank Bodurtha 
Paul Brodeur 
Charles Brazee 
Carl Boyd 
Ruth Bailey 
Minnie Buschmann 
Elsie Beaudry 
Margaret Barry 
Marion Brown 
Gordon Coburn 
Robert Cotter 
Walter Q. Carl 
Michael Corcoran 
Nan Carl 
Marjorie Cadle 
Nan Chapman 
Nellie Carr 
Inez B. Chatlos 
Agnes Chapman 
Nora Dowd 
James Elliot 
Charles F.- Ely 



Ralph Emerson 
Archie Finlay 
Thomas Ferriter 
Nan Ferriter 
Raymond Gibbs 
Richard Gaylord 
Carlyle Gowdy 
Annie Gibbons 
Anna Geehren 
Joseph Holsinger 
Howard Herrick 
James Halloran 
Mildred Huber 
Mary Howard 
Maida Hanchett 
Dorothy Hubbard 
Dorothy Hamer 
William Kobera 
Harold King 
Joseph Kvitsky 
Alice Keefe 
Mrs. Kinard 
Anna Kennedy 



98 



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1/3 



|m^^^, ^^^^^^,^, SfTl^^ .. ;,^.^. -.mr^ r//^%^ .^^.v/^vii 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Marion Klar 
Evelyn Klar 
John Lynch 
Ida Lyons 
William McGrath 
Florence Mahoney 
Mildred Moore 
Anna B. Nelson 
Arthur Porter 
Mrs. Burton A. Prince 
Genevieve Pratt 
Elene Porter 
Dudley Shaw 
Harold Stevens 



Howard Smith 
Agnes Sullivan 
Grace Shea 
Anna Searle 
Leah Sime 
Elsie Smith 
Arthur Tierney 
Robert Tubes 
Herbert Webster 
J. Freeman Wood 
Joseph W'holean 
Francis Wholean 
Elizabeth Waters 
Sadie Waters 



Elizabeth Barnes 
Leona Barre 
EuLA Bush 
Helen Bolton 
Phyllis Cooley 
Thelma Chambers 
Virginia Cosby 
Janice Cooper 
Margaret Crane 
Edith Clark 
Mary Doolin 
Susan Doolin 
Marjorie Ellis 
Grace Ferriter 
Beatrice Ferriter 
Ethel Fuller 
Helen Goodman 
Annie Gibbons 
Barbara Hedges 
Eleanor Hedges 
Vesta Gannett 
Mary Kasper 



CREATION BALLET 

Josephine Kenyon 
Genevieve Johnson 
Ruth Lane 
Betty Levie 
Leonie Levie 
Blanche Le Verb 
Frances Manning 
Elizabeth Martin 
Marjorie McWorthy 
Mary Mahoney 
Irene Miller 
Hazel Otto 
Gladys Pomeranz 
Roberta King 
Ella Rice 
Jane Rice 
Helen Spellman 
Ruth Sundberg 
Almeda Taylor 
Florence Tyler 
Jessie Williams 



CHAPERONES 

Mrs. G. W. Deming Miss Catherine Wesson 

Mrs. Leland M. Gilman Mrs. S. Leroy Levie 

99 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



The Coming of the Indians 

When this land was first explored by Europeans it was inhabited by the 
Red Man. Where this race came from, how many years it had dwelt 
here, and what peoples it displaced, we do not know. There are historians 
who believe that the Indians were preceded by another race who built 
beautiful palaces and large cities, which long ago crumbled into dust. 
Others suppose that mounds and various evidences of an earlier occupa- 
tion were the works of the ancestors of these Indians. Therefore, with no 
direct knowledge or evidences at hand of the ancestry^ of the Red Indian, 
their coming is merely symbolical. 

They were found living in small villages and scattered in roving bands. 
Everywhere, the early settlers came in contact with these people. 

Extremely improvident, they cultivated the soil very little, and de- 
pended almost entirely upon the chase. Hunting and dancing constituted 
their chief enjoyment. Their great interest in life was to procure food 
and devour it, and to subdue their enemies. 

Indian Camp with its Primitive Occupations 

Indian braves on foot and on horse-back appear, followed by their 
squaws and little ones, with the drags on which are their tepees and simple 
equipment. A fire is started, the camp is set up and the primitive home 
life of the Indian is presented. 

INDIANS 

Metacomet Tribe of Red Men 

Chief, John Frasier 
Runner, Fred J. Killips 

BRAVES 

Edward J. Durkin Ray Gibbs 

Victor Ditzner Arthur Porter 

Leo Gelinas Alfred Webb 

Benjamin Andrews Ellis Abell 

George Gilman William M alley 

Edwin Shepard Donald Watson 

Howard Green Philip Saunders 

George Strong F. Logan 

Harry Mosely Harry Pendleton 

Wesley Best H. Agan 

100 




M 



nN, 




a 

U 



TWO HU NDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



MATOAKA COUNCIL NO. 14 

DEGREE OF POCAHONTAS 

Miss Agnes Veasy Mrs. Horace Fuller 

Miss Bessie Malone Miss Mary Shay 

Mrs. Harry Mosely Miss M. Regina Hammond 

Mrs. Lina Jones Miss Anna I. Carroll 

Mrs. George Farrell Miss Margaret Clear y 

Mrs. Peter Malone Miss Christine Moore 

Miss Katherine Malone Mrs. John McDermott 

Miss Emma Heun Miss May McDermott 

Miss Caroline Bergman Miss Alice Quimper 
Miss Blanche Chase 

INDIAN BOYS 

Allen Bush William O'Brien 

Howard Burke George O'Brien 

Bernard Pomeranz James Fitzgerald 

Fred Killips Richard Porter 

INDIAN GIRLS 

Margaret Best Madeline Northrup 

Mary Mosely Margaret Killips 

Dorothy Stimpson Lena Bissell 
Margaret Shay 



lOI 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

EPISODE II 
I 636-1 669 
About 1636, the company of William Pynchon and Deacon Chapin 
traveled up the "Bay Path" from Boston to Agawam, afterward Spring- 
field. 

Mary Pynchon met John Holyoke on the journey from Boston, and they 
became lovers and were afterward married. In his story called "Bay 
Path," Dr. Holland has Mary Pynchon name Mount Holyoke after her 
lover, and Mount Tom for a pet deer. 

The meeting with the Indians was friendly, and after the land was 
transferred, the "Pipe of Peace" was smoked. This ceremony always 
followed such transactions between the Indian and the White Man. 

The meaning of the written deed of transfer was explained to the 
Indians, and their representatives signed it by each drawing a picture on 
the parchment. 

The price paid was: 

ID fathoms of wampum 10 knives 

10 hatchets 10 blankets 

ID hoes 
The western portion of the land bought by William Pynchon and the 
settlers contained a trading-post called by the Indians "Woronoke." 
Gradually the settlers took over grants of land at "Woronoco," the ear- 
liest recorded being in 1658. Because of its situation at the fork of two 
rivers which were watered by many streams, the name " Streamfield " 
was suggested; but in 1669 it was incorporated as the Town of Westfield. 
This historic scene is depicted in Episode II. An Indian runner comes 
bringing some portentious message. As he approaches, the chief and 
other braves gather round. He points behind him and in the distance soon 
appears the little band of settlers. 

After signing the transfer and smoking the Peace-pipe, John Pynchon 
and his party leave. The Indians have a farewell dance, break camp and 
move to a distant place where they again set up their tepees, and whence 
the smoke of their camp-fires is visible throughout the ne.xt few scenes. 

William Pynchon Charles B. Warren 

Deacon Chapin Deacon Frank P. Searle 

Mary Pynchon Miss Noonan 

John Pynchon Harold Hilton 

John Holyoke Richard Morrissey, Jr. 

John Woodcock Raymond Power 

Same Indians as in Episode I 

102 



myi^'0//^'^MM^ 





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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

EPISODE III 
1676 

In 1676, an order came from Boston urging the inhabitants to abandon 
the town and move to Springfield for protection from the Indian uprising 
known as " King PhiUp's War." 

"If you people be averse from our advice," wrote Boston, "we must be 
necessitated to draw oflf our forces from them (you), for we can not spare 
them, nor supply them with ammunition." 

A meeting was held with all the settlers attending, and after very little 
debating they returned to their homes, having decided to ignore the order 
from Boston. . . . "there is not a man among us has any ye least 
inclination to remove that way," they replied. 

At the beginning of this episode children are playing on the Green, and 
men are busy at work, when a messenger arrives by way of a canoe on the 
river. Immediately the peaceful scene is broken by the voice of the town- 
crier calling to a meeting. All come running to the Green where the town 
clerk reads the order from Boston. After the vote is taken they all kneel 
in prayer before appointing sentinels and making other arrangements for 
their own defense. 

Town Clerk Judge Robert C. Parker 

Town Crier Frank Thayer 

Messenger Ellsworth Campbell 

TOWNSPEOPLE 

Rachel Packard Mrs. Myron Cady 

Ruth Merritt F. G. Farr 

E. R. Post Mrs. F. G. Farr 

D. R. LooMis Miss Annie Reister 
B. H. Ellis Miss Elsie Sundberg 
Gaston Smith Miss Helen Nye 
Fred Cannon Miss Ina McKelvey 
William J. Tatro Miss Mary Crowson 
Sidney Packard Miss Mary Adzma 
Wright Phillips W. B. Nelson 

Dr. G. W. Deming Mrs. W. B. Nelson 

Charles Cowles Harry Person 

E. L. Gannett James Black 
Mrs. Frank Thayer Miss Lula Davis 
Myron Cady Miss Mabel J. Lamb 

CHAPERONES 
Mrs. Miles D. Chisholm Mrs. E. D. Herrick 

103 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



The Pioneers Conquering the Wilderness 

The labors, the trials, and the sufferings of the pioneers are remarkable 
features of the early life. The long and distressful winters, with sickness 
and famine, together with the savage warfare of the Indians were very 
depressing; but by a determined, holy purpose which has given to their 
times the title of "the heroic age of the Republic," — they conquered. 

"The Powers of the Forest and Powers of the River 
Here shall obey thee, working thy will; 
Pine boughs that whisper, aspens that quiver, 
Sing to thee, 'Conquer still.' " 

This second scene of Episode III is a symbolic representation of the pio- 
neers struggling with and conquering the wilderness. The powers of the 
forest, the powers of the river and the mist-maidens, portrayed by different 
groups of young girls, come forth in obedience to the call of the Spirit of 
the Wilderness. With her they dance their symbolic dances. Then a 
man and woman are seen pressing on, encouraging each other as they come. 
Upon them descend the powers of the forest who circle round and beat 
upon them. The man overcomes them with his strong arm only to be 
attacked by the other groups, — the powers of the river and the mist-maid- 
ens. Fever, clad all in red, attacks him while the wife gathers herbs to 
make him cooling drinks. Gray famine follows, but is also overcome, and 
finally death appears. A desperate struggle ensues, out of which the man 
emerges triumphant. Then the Spirit of the Wilderness appears offering 
obeisance and the pioneers pass on as conquerors with those whom they 
have subdued in attendance. 

Pioneer Man Raymond H. Cowing 

Pioneer Woman Mrs. Florence Abbott Rivers 

Spirit of Wilderness Miss Florence Barker 

Fever Miss Zilpah Meyer 

Famine Miss Mary Kasper 

Death Howard Herrick 

POWERS OF THE FOREST 

Rose Annuzzi Jennie Paroli 

Helen Welch Mary Bryda 

Clara O'Day Elizabeth Murphy 

Helen O'Day Venetta Brissett 

Alice Redmond Frances Pitkin 

Mary Depopoli Aldora Jarosh 

104 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Rosalie Dejkus 
Mildred Polmatier 
Helen Burke 



Flora Bernaquer 
Elizabeth Walsh 
Mary Dentzner 



CHAPERONES 

Mrs. Peter Malone Miss Margaret Barre 

Miss Mildred Warner Miss Anna B. Nelson 



POWERS OF THE RIVER 



Mary Evans 
Leota Abbott 
Lucy Devine 
Gertrude Devine 
Nina Conner 
Mary Mahoney 
Mary Kane 
Eileen Griffin 
AzoLA Banks 
Eva Carlson 



Ferne Terwilliger 
Helen Onerfrey 
Mildred Kobera 
Margaret Blanchard 
Pauline Marco ullier 
May Pierce 
Ruth Duffy 
Sophie Kalafut 
Mary Warersak 



CHAPERONES 



Mrs. Charles J. Iles 
Mrs. George H. Janes 
Mrs. Peter Prout 



Mrs. Bert Range 
Miss Nan Chapman 
Miss Mildred Kobera 



Emma Condel 
Nora Murphy 
Marjorie O'Day 
Catherine Hibert 
Rosalie Gonzalez 
May O'Hare 
Lillian O'Hare 
Alice Hosmer 
Irene La Fonda 
Theodora Noble 
Grace Fitzgerald 
Doris Nesbit 



Mrs, Percy N. Hall 
Miss May Hassler 



MIST-MAIDENS 

Frances Bergman 
Marion Lippe 
Miriam Ring 
Lillian Lockwood 
Ella Nelson 
Katherine Murphy 
Doris MacBrian • 

Jean Hall 
May Tryon 
Mildred Bean 
Beulah Chapman 

CHAPERONES 

Miss Florence Mahoney 



105 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



EPISODE IV 



1725 

In 1725 the first Dame school was established in Westfield, with the 
"Widow" Catherine Noble as the teacher. The Dame pursued her 
spinning and household affairs while she taught the children. The girls 
were taught to sew and make "samplers," while lessons were given by 
means of the "Horn-book," — a paddle-shaped piece of wood with printed 
matter fastened on it under a layer of horn so thin as to be transparent. 

The children came into their own and performed realistic antics in 
Episode IV, as they came trooping onto the Green accompanied by the 
"Widow" Noble and her spinning-wheel. The little girls, in caps and 
kerchiefs, busied themselves with samplers; while the boys, in short coats 
and long tight trousers, divided their attention between horn-books and 
mischief. 



DAME SCHOOL 

Widow" Catherine Noble 



Miss Irene Cash 



PUPILS 



Kenneth Nash 
Herbert Webster 
Paul Brodeur 
Vernon Wager 
Alfred Scheip 
Edwin Hosmer 
Herbert Bryant 
Donald Loomis 
Andrew Taggart 
Ruth Stearns 



Etta Beesaw 
Julia Deparo 
Josephine Osprowiski 
Eloise Tinkham 
Thelma Fraser 
Adelaide Wall 
Laura Bettinger 
Florence H annum 
Sophie Osprowiski 



CHAPERONES 



Mrs. Dennison Loomis 
Miss Della Couse 
Mrs. Samuel Wall 



Mrs. Thomas Rooney 
Mrs. Peter Jensen 



106 



TWO HUNDRED AND F I F T I E T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 



EPISODE V 
1776 

This episode deals with thrilling Revolutionary days. A messenger is 
seen hurrying onto the Green, bringing news of the battle of Lexington 
From all the countryside the minute-men rush into the town, a few with 
musket or sword, many with implements from the shop or farm, but all 
eager to fight, and shortly a company of seventy men under Lieutenant 
John Shepard leaves for Boston; while sweethearts, wives and children 
cling to them and bid them sorrowful farewell. 

Lieutenant John Shepard .... Sergeant G. Luke Lamb 



MINUTE-MEN 



Ralph Sizer 
Arthur Porter 
Raymond Power 
Irving Barnes 
Raymond Gibbs 
Edwin Shepard 
Charles R. Kupec 
Richard Gaylord 
J. F. McHuGH 
William Daniels 
Austin Warren 
Robert Roberts 
George Roraback, Jr. 
Richard Morrissey, Jr. 
George Hutchinson 
Elmer Pendleton 
Leonard Atwater 
Matthew Kalafut 
Leon Stomsky 
W. Morgan Wade 
C. C. Babb 
Raymond F. Fowler 
Michael Rukowicz 
Thomas Collins 
Harold Whittemore 
George Keefe 
William Evanchak 



Walter Q. Carl 
Henry Lockwood 
James Halloran 
Raymond Emery 
Elmer Taylor 
Thomas Killips 
Edward Davis 
R. H. Lambson 
Dudley Shaw 
Frank Banta 
Harry Barnes 
Harry Collins 
Frank Aldrich 
Arthur Lizwell 
Merton Emery 
George Fox 
Raymond Roberts 
Walter Faulkner 
Harold Gannon 
Walter Rice 
Hugh Lamb 
Grant L. Lamb 
Orta Kenney 
J. J. Kennedy 
O. Arkoette 
A. Codding 
F. Boylan 



107 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



N. Levere 

F. MOBRICE 
W. F. KOBERA 

Lester Baker 
Oscar Baker 
W. J. Benjamin 
H. Duncan 
I. Dagatus 



F. MacKay 

J. George Rowe 

E. Rehor 

E. Messenger 

G. Carlson 
James Desmond 
J. E. Noble 



TOWNSPEOPLE IN EPISODE V 



Mr. and Mrs. Robert Loomis 

Alice Bering 

Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Smith 

Morris Pomeranz and Family 

Mrs. Tatro and Children 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Merrill 

Mr. and Mrs. George Tucker 

Mr. Terwilliger and Family 

Mr. De Vorcha and Family 

Mr. and Mrs. George Clark 

Althine Clark 

Miss Lena West 

Miss Prentice 

Miss Durance Banks 

Miss Lodema Banks 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Allen 

EuLA Bush 

Mrs. Mobsman 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harvey 

Claire O'Day 

Margaret Welch 

Helen Welch 

Esther Crittendon 

Josephine Hunt 

Mrs. Harry Stiles 

Alice Redmond 

Mrs. Dambacker 

Emma Hines 

Caroline Bergman 

Marion Hosmer 

Mrs. Harry Keyes 



William Toopin 

Lillian Toopin 

Marie Toopin 

Annie Boyle 

James Cleary 

Minnie Buschmann 

Mrs. Jane A. Packard 

Dr. William P. Burge 

Mrs. Jennie Morand 

Mrs. Harry Angell 

Mr. and Mrs. G. Siliberg 

AND Daughter 
Mrs. E. E. Butler 
Miss Gwendolyn Smith 
Mr. and Mrs. Washburn 
Miss Mildred Warner 
Mrs. Sumner Hildreth 
Mrs. Charles Bush 
Miss Alice Reagan 
Miss Ruth Lincoln 
Miss Gladys Phillips 
Mrs. C. E. Baxter 
Miss Annie Delesky 
Miss Sophia Delesky 
Mr. and Mrs. Derorcha 

AND Boys 
Irene Bemis 
Hilda Liswell 
Bessie Wills 
Grace Wills 
Mrs. West 



[08 




Departure of Minute Men 
Spirit of 1776 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Helen Dubian 
Mrs. George E. Pratt 
Mr. and Mrs. Beaman 
Mary Bryda 
Blanche Levere 
Anna Engliski 
Viola Gadrault 
Beatrice Shea 
D. Bank 



P. Douglas 
Louisa Collins 
Cortland Rockwell 
Fred Rockwell 
Mrs. Helen L. Root 
Mrs. J. Anna Mosely 
Mrs. Jennie Potter 
Miss Ellen Mitchell 



CHAPERONES 



Mrs. Robert C. Loomis 
Mrs. George W. Clark 



Mrs. Edward S. Rockwood 
Mrs. Fred Buschmann 



The departure of the minute-men is followed by a symbolic dance end- 
ing in a representation of Willard's great painting "The Spirit of 1776." 

Fifer, Fred J. Killips 
Drummer, Harry Sisson 
Flag-Bearer, George Strong 



BALLET 1776 



BLUES 



Mary Schoenrock 
Ethel Marsh 
Sylvia Goodman 
Beatrice Best 
Marguerite Cavanaugh 
LiNA Pepin 
Pauline Nye 
Catherine Pitkin 
Florence Quinn 
Mildred Abell 
Bertha Jarosh 
Helen Organek 



Althine Clark 
Olga Samborski 
Helen Veselak 
Stasis Kissel 
Mary Yefko 
Josephine Minkstein 
Helen Samborski 
Frances Roberts 
Hazel Duprey 
Alice Ring 
Genevieve Johnson 
Esther Post 



Mrs. Fred Nash 
Mrs. Ernest Post 



CHAPERONES 



Miss Lucretia Sanford 
Miss Maud Hilmuth 



109 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



REDS 



Mary Doolin 
Susan Doolin 
Gladys Pomeranz 
Elizabeth Pomeranz 
Grace Ferriter 
Thelma Chambers 
Mabel Smith 
Helen Smith 
Roberta Ring 



Jessie Williams 
Phyllis Cooley 
Elizabeth Barnes 
Virginia Cosby 
Florence Tyler 
Elizabeth Martin 
Leona Barre 
Beatrice Ferriter 
Almeda Taylor 



CHAPERONES 
Mrs. Michael Wholean Miss Virginia Noble 



Miss Helen Austin 
Miss Irene King 



Mary Mahoney 
Marjorie Ellis 
Ethel Fuller 
Mary Goodman 
Leonie Levie 



WINGS 



Miss Louise Mahoney 



Ruth Sundberg 
Margaret Gurkoskey 
Ella Rice 
Jane Rice 
Dorothy King 



CHAPERONES 



Mrs. Edward G. Crotty 
Mrs. Harold Moore 



Mrs. Fred Baker 
Mrs. Wesley Ellis 



IIO 




General and Mrs. Shepard, Captain Parks and Lieutenant Shepai'd 
Four of the Townspeople 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



EPISODE VI 

1783 

General William Shepard, a veteran of the French and Indian War, won 
great renown in the Revolution. 

In 1783, when peace was declared between Great Britain and the United 
States, a great celebration was held in Westfield and General Shepard who 
had just returned from the war was the hero of the occasion. 

General William Shepard . . Edwin Shepard 

Mrs. Shepard Mrs. Mabel Shepard Robinson 

Captain Warham Parks . . , Captain James B. Rivers 

Lieutenant John Shepard . . Sergeant Luke Lamb 

The minute men of the preceding episode returning as Revolutionary 
soldiers; also the townspeople of the preceding episode. Among the latter 
were four who had participated in the Bicentennial Celebration: 

Mrs. Morand, aged 76 
Mrs. Root, aged 78 
Mrs. Packard, aged 85 
Dr. Burge, aged 86 

Both Mr. Shepard and Mrs. Robinson were descendants of General 
William Shepard. 

INTERMISSION 
Pageant Resumes at Sound of Bugle 



III 



WESTFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



EPISODE VII 

i860 

Dance Symbolic of Civil War 

Joyous dancers symbolize peacefulness. Black clouds of war approach 
in the distance, and the dancers rush away. The Blues and Grays line up 
for battle. Others representing Love and Devotion make one final plea 
for peace, but are cast aside, and the battle begins. The Grays are de- 
feated and the victorious Blues dance with joy. Love and Devotion re- 
turn and plead with the Blues to help the Grays through their time of stress. 
The Blues then join the Grays and all are reunited in a spirit of love and 
reconciliation. 

CIVIL WAR BALLET 



BLUES 



Alice Long 
Esther Goodman 
Catherine Mayette 
Martha Sizer 
Ellen Long 
Agnes Sears 
Catherine Brown 
Sarah Gillen 
Louise Morgan 
Dorothy Hammond 
Mildred Smith 
Edith O'Connor 



Minerva McConnel 
Mary Sonolen 
Mary Blascak 
Rose Oleksak 
Catherine Messenger 
Martha Quimper 
Helen Maschin 
Sophie Knapik 
Gladys Phillips 
Priscilla Robinson 
Helen Rice 



CHAPERONES 
Mrs. Frank C. Parker Miss Clara Avery 

Mrs. Peter Jensen Miss Anna Welch 

Miss Mary Rowland 



GRAYS 



Esther Mickle 
Marie Evans 
Mary Ferriter 
Anna Sears 
Helen Brown 
Hilda Mashin 
Olive McGill 
Mary Burke 
Helen Tarala 



Margaret Mahoney 
Mary Armstrong 
Elizabeth Tribula 
Mary Gogol 
Sadie Labrovitch 
Edith Labrovitch 
Katherine Ryan 
Margaret Long 
Viola Gadreault 



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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



CHAPERONES 



Miss Bessie Nash 
Miss Elizabeth Waters 



Miss Alberta Barre 
Miss Theresa Waters 



BLACKS 



Mildred Smith 
Ruth Lincoln 
Grace Wills 
Sophie Jegelwicz 
Sophie Delsky 



Mrs. F. S. Cannon 
Miss Eva Dorman 



Helen Ryan 
Beatrice Grossman 
Ethel Fletcher 
Frances Morin 
Doris Mesick 



Helen Sears 
Martha Sears 
Gwendolen Smith 
Anna Delsky 
Mildred Warner 

CHAPERONES . 

Mrs. George Plourd 



PINKS 



Virginia Barnard 
Myrtle Dickenson 
Pauline Sizer 
Ethel Allyn 
Sally Fowler 



CHAPERONES 
Mrs. George C. Pratt Mrs. Edward Mesick 



SPRITES 



Anna Evans 
Betty Weller 
Marguerite Lane 
Elizabeth Clark 
Rachel Allyn 
Marion Phillips 
Beatrice Gaylord 
Mary Devine 
Rhea Doty 



Eleanor Burke 
Sadie Minkstein 
Cecila Chenel 
Eileen Quimper 
Margaret Maynard 
Alice Burke 
Teresa Burke 
Celestine Morrison 
Lillian Bryant 



CHAPERONES 



Miss Anna Kennedy 
Mrs. John Corcoran 



Mrs. James Fitzgerald 
Miss Matilda Guinasso 



113 



WESTFIELD 



M A S S A CHUSETTS 



EPISODE VIII 
1919 

Depicting the Beauty and Growth of Westfield 

This is symbolized by a ballet of children from eight to twelve years of 
age, representing Farming, Manufacturing, Inventing and Mining, with 
the Arts depicted by older girls in Grecian costumes. 

BALLET WESTFIELD 



FARMERS 



Vera Ekholm 
Alice Stiles 
Alice White 
Elizabeth Long 
Theresa Fitzgerald 
Ruth Brady 
Edith MacBrian 
Ruth Kvitsky 
Louise Lawton 
Florence Harron 
Alma Rix 
Margaret Coffey 
GuiLA Hawley 
Blanche Butler 
Edith Miles 
Mary Spellman 



Avery Bates 
William Poirier 
Paul Brady 
Herbert Marcoulier 
Charles Hunter 
Fred Strong 
Robert Avery 
Carl Welcome 
Albert Fowler 
Harrison Taylor 
Carlton Wood 
Laurence Ring 
George Tuller 
Dudley Earle 
Edward Hibart 



INVENTIONS 



Florence Snow 
Yvonne Bellerve 
Anna Mihalek 
Nano Devine 
Winifred Edwards 
Anna Murphy 
May Wyman 
Catherine Sullivan 
Mildred Edwards 



Mary Mack ay 
Kathleen Sears 
Mary O'Connor 
Florence Lynch 
Elizabeth Lynch 
Florence Lenois 
Catherine Cleary 
Mildred Field 



114 



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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



MANUFACTURES 



Caroline Stevenson 
Lillian Toupin 
Mary Toupin 
Margaret Douglas 
Evelyn Douglas 
Dorothy Hunter 
Margaret Dineen 
Anna Ashe 
Elsie Cleary 
Frances Minkstein 
Katherine Baker 



Geraldine Pales 
Helen Paroline 
Catherine Mahar 
Anna Henchey 
Margaret Brown 
Ruth Munsell 
Winifred Palmer 



Dorothy Bowler 
Dorothy Brodeur 
Rose Gonzalez 
Dorothy Smith 
Julia Brady 
Nora Murphy 
Ruth Nesbit 
Mildred Brazee 
Mary Doubrava 



MINING 



ART 



Marion Agan 
Elizabeth Mochak 
Dorothy Nye 
Rose Kupek 
Madeline Northrop 
Freda Levine 
Thelma Vondel 
Edna Rix 
Isabella MacKay 
Dorothy Flanaghan 
Irene Mochak 



Lillian Palmer 
Amy Boyle 
Helen Doubrava 
Dorothy Long 
Helen Schoenrock 
Helen Leary 
Leola Robbins 



Mary Harron 
Nina Buffum 
Elizabeth Quinn 
Helen Landers 
Frances Bergman 
Lodema Strong 
Sylvia Kimball 
Stella Brown 
Charlotte Rice 



CHAPERONES 
Miss Ethel Wallace Miss Elizabeth Cash 

Mrs. Charles Dambacker Miss Marion Hosmer 

Mrs. Charles Allen Miss Jessie Cleary 



115 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



EPISODE IX 

The Last Episode is a Pageant Parade 

At the close of the preceding episode the Ballet Westfield is seated in a 
semi-circle at the back of the stage. Between them and the audience 
there passes in review all who have taken part in the various episodes, 
together with the floats — Victory, Peace, Columbia, and Miss Westfield — • 
followed by representatives of all the war activities in which Westfield 
took part during the late war. 

FLOATS 

Victory Miss Mary Hedges 

Peace Miss Vesta Gannett 

DOVES OF PEACE 

Eleanor Peabody Ruth Abbott 

Lucy Kasper Arline Hosmer 

Bessie Kasper Elizabeth Brown 

Agnes Burnes Catherine Upson 

Beatrice Brazee Gladys Smith 

Carlee Palmer 

Columbia Miss Grace Wills 

Attended by 
The Forty-Eight States of the Union 

Miss Westfield Miss Annie Gillett 

Representatives of Westfield's War Activities 



Il6 



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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

COMMUNITY DAY COMMITTEES 

Gamaliel E. Austin, General Chairman 

PICNIC COMMITTEE 
Harry C. Lane, Chairman 



Howard Allen 
Albert Bahleda 
T. R. Brien 
William J. Chapman 
Charles H. Cooley, Jr. 
Harry E. Cowles 
Robert E. Doherty 
Tony Fresco 
James W. Hagar 
Malcolm B. Harding 
Luther E. Hollister 



Charles J. Iles 
John J. Hearn 
Joseph Kvitsky 
James R. Jeffers 
Peter Jensen 
Robert P. Lane 
VV. B. LooMis 
Emil Motak 
James C. Taylor 
Charles B. Warren 



ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE 
Frederic Goodwin, Chairman 



Miss Florence Barker 
Miss Bessie Carroll 
George T. Chapman 
Miss Nan Chapman 
Thomas R. Cooley 
Miss Helena Ensign 
Archibald L. Finlay 
Darwin L. Gillett 
Harry W. Gladwin 
L. D. Harden 
E. R. Hawxey 



Miss Mary Kaspar 
Miss Mary Long 
Miss Ida M. Lyons 
Miss Florence Mahoney 
Dr. Robert M. Marr 
Frederick L. Parker 
Mrs. Burton A. Prince 
Miss Mildred Rehor 
Ray M. Sanford 
Charles G. Smith 
Miss Catherine Wesson 



COMMITTEE ON PARKING AUTOMOBILES 
G. Fred Dill, Chairman 



Harry F. Bailey 
Leroy C. Coburn 
David H. Comstock 
George F. Marcoulier 
Harry S. Miller 



L. O. Peck 
Silas Pomeroy 
E. S. Rockwood 
James H. Whittemore 



17 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



RECEPTION COMMITTEE 
Charles H. Bartlett, Chairman 



Mrs. Lewis B. Allyn 
Mrs. Gamaliel E. Austin 
Mrs. Marguerite Fowler Bridg- 

MAN 

Miss Hilda Brace 

Homer E. Bush 

Miss Alice Cadwell 

Dennis M. Cole 

Mrs. Charles H. Cooley, Jr. 

B. a. Edgar 

Mrs, B. a. Edgar 

Charles F. Ensworth 

Miss Katherine M. Fowler 

Harry M. Gowdy 

Mrs. Harry M. Gowdy 

Mrs. Robert Gowdy 

Mrs. L. D. Harden 

Miss Ruth Harden 

Mrs. John Hibbs 

Charles A. Hickson 

Mrs. Clement E. Holmes 

Mrs. Edward Hull 

Mrs. Frederick Hull 



Mrs. Joseph A. Kenyon 

Louis L. Keefe 

Mrs. Herbert W. Kittredge 

Mrs. Robert M. Marr 

Miss Vesta Mitchell 

Arthur G. Norton 

Howard G. Noble 

Mrs. Howard G. Noble 

Miss Rachel Packard 

Oren E. Parks 

Miss Ellene Porter 

Mrs. C. K. Prince 

Mrs. Florence Sackett Rivers 

Miss Romaine Ron an 

Miss Helen Sanderson 

Frank P. Searle 

Mrs. Frederick F. Shepard 

Mrs. Matthew W. Shine 

Chester D. Stiles 

V. G. Willis 

Miss Elizabeth Winslow 

Mrs. George W. Winslow 

Miss Ruth Wood 



COMMUNITY DAY 

Tuesday, September 2, — the third day of Westfield's 
anniversary celebration, — was known as Community Day. 

The general program as planned by the Picnic and En- 
tertainment Committees was to have begun at noon with 
a parade from the Green to the picnic-grounds. The place 
selected for this mammoth gathering of townspeople was 
the large, open tract of land on the east side of Mill Street, 
accessible also from West Silver Street, and including the 
wooded hillside overlooking the south part of the town. 
Here was erected a huge tent for the reception. A large 

118 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

committee was delegated to greet and introduce people; 
and that those who desired might meet or learn of old-time 
friends, the Invitation Committee, represented by Mrs. 
Charles H. Beals, was prepared to answer inquiries con- 
cerning former residents to whom invitations had been 
sent. 

People were expected to bring their lunches, although 
provision had been made for the sale of food, soft drinks, 
etc., on the grounds. Twelve thirty was the hour named 
for the luncheon and band concert. Following the "eats" 
the band music was to be interspersed with community 
singing led by Frederic Goodwin who has done much toward 
organizing such singing in the town. A song-sheet for the 
occasion was printed having the words of the following 
well-known, favorite songs, so that all might join in the 
singing, to the accompaniment of the band, "America," 
" Keep the Home Fires Burning," "The Long, Long Trail," 
"Battle Hymm of the Republic" and "My Old Kentucky 
Home." 

At two o'clock the dance program of the afternoon was 
to have been given near Pine Tree Grove, at the brow of 
the hill. Miss Florence Barker had charge of the esthetic 
dancing and Miss Mary Long, principal of Fort Meadow 
School, directed the folk dancing. 

DANCE PROGRAM 

1. "School Days" 

2. Folk Dance — "Shoemaker's Dance" 

3. "Snow Queen" 

4. Folk Dance — "Highland Schottisch" 

5. Suite (a) " Night and Storm" 

(b) Dance 

6. Folk Dance — "Danish Dance of Greeting" 

7. Irish Lilt 

8. Folk Dance — "Chimes of Dunkirk" 

9. Military Drill 

119 



WESTFIELD, MASSSACHUSETTS 

After the dancing, sports were to take place on the run- 
ning-track as follows : 

MEN 

Tug-of-war contest between teams from the H. B. Smith Company, north- 
side works and the south-side works — Prize, $25. 

Tug-of-war contest between teams from the Foster Machine Company and 
the Westfield Manufacturing Company, for a prize of $25. 
Peter Monahan to referee the two contests. 



GIRLS 

50-yard dash — First prize, kodak camera; second prize, roller-skates; 

third prize, bracelet. 
Egg race — First prize, wrist-watch; second prize, necklace; third prize, 

mpc;h hao- 



BOYS 

100-yard dash — First prize, Ingersoll watch; second prize, cord bicycle 

tire; third prize, baseball glove. 
50-yard dash — First prize, flashlight; second prize, baseball mitt; third 

prize, electric bicycle lamp. 
Potato race — First prize, Ingersoll watch; second prize, baseball glove; 

third prize, pocket knife. 
Three-legged race — First prize, baseball and bats (2) ; second prize, knives 

(2). 
The ofificials at the races follow: Starter, James T. Welch; judges, 
Harry W. Gladwin, Chester W. Stiles, Archibald L. Finlay; umpires of 
baseball game, Thomas W. Bowler, Louis F. Burns. 

At three o'clock the star event of the afternoon, the championship base- 
ball game between the Father Matthew team and the All Star team was to 
be played. 

A Community Carnival was to be held on the Green in 
the evening from 7.30 until 11.30 o'clock. Carefully- 
planned by the Entertainment Committee, it was to prove 
a most unique occasion, with much of interest and pleasure 
for the thousands of citizens and visitors of all ages who 
should flock to watch, or to participate in, the dancing on 
the Green. 

120 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

However, the clouds which had been watched so anx- 
iously during the pageant the day before, opened their 
floodgates late Monday night and neglected to close them 
throughout the entire day, Tuesday. As one paper said: 
"Instead of a dance surface where thousands of couples 
were to glide to the music of two bands, beneath the gor- 
geous decorations and hundreds of electric lights on the 
Green, the place was deserted and there was not even a 
band concert which might assist in relieving the spirit of 
disappointment caused by an all-day rain. The slogan of 
the Community Picnic Committee and the Community 
Dance Organization had been only too true. It was a case 
of 'something doing every minute,' and that something 
was rain." 

Reminiscence Meeting 

Although it was necessary to postpone the numerous 
features planned for the Community Day Celebration, 
there was one event which made the whole day bright for 
those who participated in it. That many failed to share 
in this pleasure is a source of regret to those who attended 
the Reminiscence Meeting; but it was entirely impromptu 
and the time was too limited to permit of more than hastily 
posted notices and telephone calls. 

An orchestra selected from the 104th Regimental Band 
was commandeered and, in spite of the downpour, there 
gathered at the reception tent on the picnic-grounds, many 
representatives of Westfield's early families, who cherish 
fond memories of "The Old Town." 

Professor Lester P. Breckenridge, of Yale University, 
presided and was an ideal chairman. His delightfully 
informal manner was so contagious that soon those present 
had drawn their chairs around in a circle, like a big family 
gathering, and were calling one another by the old-time 
names of "Breck," "Bob," "Jim," "Phil," etc. 

121 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

The old'Westfield, its leading men, the boyhood and girl- 
hood days of the speakers were subjects for reminiscence. 
Most of the talks were humorous, and all so intensely inter- 
esting that the company came back to the present, at the 
end of the extemporaneous program, surprised to find that 
nearly three hours had elapsed; and many, if not all, car- 
ried away from that delightful meeting one more fond 
memory to add to those they already cherish of dear old 
Westfield. 



122 



4^'^ 




71 1 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



MILITARY PARADE 
Wednesday, September 3 

"It sprinkled, it drizzled and it poured on Westfield's last 
day of the celebration of her 250th birthday. The curfew- 
rang at nine o'clock in the morning, signifying that the 
morning activities were given up, but 20,000 people braved 
a terrific rainstorm in the afternoon to watch the passing 
of the military parade. More than 1,000 persons, 200 of 
them w^omen, sloshed and slogged their way through rain, 
puddles and mud, determined that no matter how great 
the deluge, their enthusiasm could not be dampened. 

"Thousands more would have watched the parade if the 
day had been fair. Hundreds more would have been in 
line under the same conditions. As it was, it was a spectacle 
worthy of the town's best traditions. 

"Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin Van Deusen, of the United 
States Army, led the parade as marshal. In line were the 
Third Cavalry Machine Gun Troop, Red Cross workers, 
G. A. R. veterans, the Worcester Continentals with their 
own fife and drum corps, veterans of Foreign Wars from 
Springfield, Westfield Fire Department and more than 
400 service men. 

"The cavalrymen made a splendid appearance; so did 
the service men, the Continentals and the Fire Department. 
But the bouquets were reserved for the Red Cross workers. 
Clad in white and drenched to the skin, they remained to 
see the finish and were marching just as smartly at the end 
as at the beginning. The crowds were generous with their 
applause, and every group of marchers was honored. 

"There was a float with group representing the return 
of the soldier-son, and another with a miniature K. of C. 
hut from which showers of candy and gum fell at intervals, 
to the delight of the small boys. 

123 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

"At the Green the parade was reviewed by Governor 
Coolidge, Former Governor Samuel W. McCall, Major- 
General Clarence R. Edwards and members of his staff, 
invited guests and town officers. 

"When the parade reached the reviewing stand the 
cavalry swung to one side, as did the 104th Infantry Band, 
which played, as the marchers swung by in column of 
platoons, the stirring 26th Division battle tune, 'The 
Battle Hymn of the Republic' " 

PARADE COMMITTEE 

Daniel F. Doherty, Chairman 

Harvey J. Cleveland William B. Mahoney 

August Buschmann Dr. T. E. Power 

Charles F. Ely Archie D. Robinson 

Edward T. Fowler Stanley K. Smith 
George Jachym 

COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF WESTFIELD SERVICE MEN'S 
SECTION 

Representing Westfield Post, American Legion 

Walter Q. Carl, Vice-Commandant 

Thomas Scanlon, Adjutant 

Edward Sheehan, Finance Officer 

Noah Duperrault, Historian 

Leroy C. Codding, Chaplain 
Reuben Beman Robert P. McMahon 

Joseph Cullen Harold Whittemore 

Ernest Decker Joseph C. Wholean 

Arthur B. Long 

LINE OF MARCH 

The parade formed on Depot Square and adjacent 
streets and marched through North Elm Street, Great 
River Bridge, Elm Street, the Green, Court Street, Day 
Avenue, West Silver Street, Broad Street, to the General 
Shepard Monument for the Unveiling Ceremonies. 

124 



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o 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ORDER OF MILITARY PAR.\DE 

Platoon of 12 patrolmen under Police Chief William A. Flouton. 

Lt.-Col. Edwin R. Van Deusen, marshal and aids, including Capt. James 
W. Hagar, Lts. Matthew Kalafut, Archie L. Finlay, Joseph E. Whol- 
ean, and Darwin L. Gillett, Robert P. Lane, Robert P. McMahon, 
Howard E. Green, Arthur B. Long, Charles Nicholas and Maj. 
Frederick T. Clark. 

104th Infantry Band (25 men). 

Machine Gun Troop of Third Cavalry (65 men) under command of Capt. 
Cornelius M. Daly. 

Welcome home float, in which George Fox as the returned soldier, dropped 
his gun on entering the home, rushed into his mother's embrace, was 
received by his father with a handshake and pat on the back, while 
the little brother and sister rushed to greet him. 

Service men's section, under command of Capt. Stanley K. Smith of West- 
field Post American Legion, and Adjt. Lieut. Charles F. Ely. 

Aids to Capt. Smith, Lt. Comdr. Charles H. Depping, Capt. Thomas E. 
Power, Lts. Robert M. Marr, Richard P. McCarthy, Robert E. 
Bodurtha, James S. Doherty, Raymond H. Cowing, Glenn B. Cowles, 
Sergt. Walter Q. Carl, Corps. Edward J. Sheehan, Jr., Noah Duper- 
rault and Thomas F. Scanlon, the latter quartet representing the 
oiScers of Westfield Post. 

First company — Lt. William J. Wholean in command. 

First platoon — Lt. William J. Wholean in command, 24 men wearing trench 
helmets and carrying gas-masks. 

Second platoon — Lt. Hedges S. Freeman in command, 34 men wearing 
overseas hats. 

Third platoon — Lt. Arthur Porter in command, 34 men wearing campaign 
hats. 

Navy service men's section, in command of Ensign Edgar F. Tierney and 
Flight-Ensign Howard S. Robinson. 

First platoon — Flight-Ensign Howard S. Robinson and 24 men. 

Color guards — Reuben Beman of the Marine Corps and Charles McCon- 
nell of the Navy. 

Color bearers — George Barnes with national flag and Michael Rukowicz 
with Westfield Post service flag with 26 gold stars. 

Second platoon of Navy service men — Ensign Edgar F. Tierney and 24 
men. 

World War veterans not in uniform, 10 men. 

Short's Band of Springfield, 20 men. 

125 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Third company — Army service men, Capt. Edward A. Austin in command. 

First platoon — Lt. Walter J. Ungetheum in command with 24 men. 

Second platoon — Lt. William C. Doering in command with 21 men. 

Third platoon — Sergt. William J. Dalton in command with 31 men. 

Fourth company — Capt. Thomas T. Logie in command. 

First platoon — Lt. Alfred O. Sanford in command with 34 men. 

Second platoon — Sergt. John J. Guinnasso in command with 34 men. 

Third platoon — Lt. A. D. Snively in command with 30 men. 

Auto with severely wounded and incapacitated service men, including 

Priv. Leroy E. Codding, Priv. Geonizzy Popko, and others. 
Worcester Continentals and drum corps with 17 men. 
Worcester Continentals, "Spirit of 1776," with 3 men. 
Worcester Continentals with 19 men. 
Spanish War veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars of Springfield with 

26 men in line. 
Westfield and Springfield G. A. R. Veterans, 55 men in twelve automobiles. 
Westfield Band of 20 men. 
Westfield Red Cross nurses, Richard Lotherington and Misses Helen 

Miles, Rena Ahrens, Leona Phelps and Theresa Sopko. 
Westfield Red Cross executive committee. 
Westfield Red Cross workers — 70 women in uniform. 
Second Red Cross section, including 50 young women carrying immense 

Red Cross flag. 
Two Red Cross floats with 10 workers in charge of each. 
Fifteen automobiles with 75 Red Cross workers in uniform. 
Knights of Columbus hut float. 
Boy Scouts in command of Deputy Commissioner Rev. Robert Keating 

Smith and Scoutmaster Harry A. Stillman with 40 boys. 
Liberty Drum Corps, 20 men. 
Westfield Fire Department under command of Fire Chief Thomas H 

Mahoney, 40 men. 
Five autos and trucks of the Fire Department. 



126 




(ieneral Shcpard MoininuMit 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



THE GENERAL SHEPARD MONUMENT 
COMMITTEE 

Henry W. Ely, Chairman 

Archie D. Robinson William T. Smith 

James C. Greenough Arthur S. Kneil 

GENERAL COMMITTEE 

Henry W. Ely Charles J. Little 

Joseph B. Ely William B. Reed 

Edgar L. Gillett Archie D. Robinson 

Frank Grant George W. Searle 

James C. Greenough Frederick F. Shepard 

Willis S. Kellogg Matthew W. Shine 

Joseph A. Kenyon Edwin W. Smith 

Arthur S. Kneil William T. Smith 
John R. King 

The name of Henry Fuller, Esquire, should stand first In 
any account of the statue of General Shepard, for his be- 
quest in 1 9 13, started the work of raising funds for a suit- 
able memorial to Westfield's Revolutionary hero. The 
matter was brought before town meeting and, while no 
appropriation was made at that time, a committee consist- 
ing of James C. Greenough, Henry W. Ely and Archie D. 
Robinson was appointed. This committee secured pledges 
from descendants of General Shepard and others and in 
1 91 7 the town made an appropriation, added the names of 
Arthur S. Kneil and William T. Smith to the committee, 
and empowered it to erect and dedicate the monument. 

After careful consideration of designs submitted by 
various sculptors, the committee selected Augustus Luke- 
man of New York. Mr. Lukeman is the designer of the 
McKinley statue at Adams, "The Circuit Rider" in Wash- 
ington , and other works of merit . ' T n the statue of General 
Shepard, Westfield possesses not only a dignified and 

127 



WESTFIELD 



MASS 



CHUSETTS 



worthy memorial to her distinguished son, but a valuable 
and enduring work of art which she may always regard with 
pride and satisfaction. " 



RECEPTION COMMITTEE 
Henry W. Ely, Chairman 



Chester H. Abbe 

S. Augustus Allen 

Lewis B. Allyn 

Henry W. Ashley 

Miss Ida C. Ashley 

Mrs. Lucy Collins Atwater 

Dr. James B. Atwater 

Mrs. Lillian Campbell Avery 

Rev. William S. Ayres 

Mrs. Mary Morse Bartlett 

Charles H. Beals 

Miss Frances T. Boise 

Dr. George W. Brace 

Charles J. Bradley 

Mrs. Martha Ingersoll Breck- 

enridge 
Clarence A. Brodeur 
William K. Buschmann 
Andrew L. Bush 
Homer Bush 
Joseph D. Cadle 
Miss Grace Carroll 
Mrs. Carrie Tobey Clark 
Dr. Frederick T. Clark 
Mrs. Nellie Ensign Conner 
Thomas J. Cooley 
Harvey J. Cleveland 
Mrs. James Arthur Crane 
Rev. Adolph Dasler 
Miss Eliza M. Doane 
Daniel F. Doherty 
Eugene Doherty 
Dr. Archibald J. Douglas 
Mrs. Theodora Reed Drysdale 



Mrs. Jane Bush Dyson 

Herbert S. Eaton 

Mrs. Sarah Buell Ely 

W'lLLiAM H. Ensign 

Rev. George M. Fitzgerald 

Charles R. Fowt^er 

Edward T. Fowler 

Mrs. Ellen Sibley Fuller 

John J. Fuller 

Mrs. Florence Lawton Furber 

Charles M. Gardner 

Mrs. Eliza Smith Gaylord 

Mrs. Sarah Dean Gaylord 

Mrs. Ada Hedges GffiBs 

Miss Lucy D. Gillett 

Robert Gowdy 

Mrs. Ellen Peebles Grant 

Miss Martha Grant 

Miss Grace Hall 

Frank D. Hamilton 

Edwin B. Hedges 

Dr. Robert D. Hildreth 

Mrs. Joseph B. Hill 

Mrs. Henrietta Holland 

Mrs. Freda Steiger Hollister 

Rev. Clement E. Holmes 

Miss Elizabeth M. Hooker 

Rev. Conrad Hooker 

Dr. George H. Janes 

Mrs. Minnie Cad well Janes 

Mrs. William H. Johnson 

Louis L. Keefe 

Rev. H. Arthur Kernen 

Mrs. Emma Provin King 



28 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Mrs. Jane Avery Kingsbury 

Herbert W. Kittredge 

Edwin R. Lay 

Miss Helen E. Lewis 

Mrs. Lillie Lambson Lilley 

Mrs. Elizabeth Lamberton 

Little 
Mrs. Grace Weller Loomis 
Mrs. Mary Shepard Loomis 
William J. McCarthy 
Patrick J. McMahon 
William B. Mahoney 
Dr. Robert M. Marr 
Mrs. Ira Miller 
Morrell H. Moore 
Richard J. Morrissey 
Mrs. Nan Wilcox Moseley 
Dr. a. Fowler Noble 
Howard G. Noble 
James Noble, Jr. 
Mrs. Eliza Noble 
Dr. James J. Norton 
Mrs. Sadie Morse Noble 
Rev. Patrick J. O'Malley 
Miss Emma J. Osborne 
Rev. a. D. Page 
Frank C. Parker 
Frederick L. Parker 
Mrs. Mary Snow Parker 
Mrs. Robert F. Parker 
Oren B. Parks 
Oren E. Parks 
Rev. Augustine E. Phelps 
Clarence K. Prince 
Miss Clara M. Reed 
Mrs. Ethel Mallory Reed 
Mrs. John R. Reed 
Richard D. Reed. 
Mrs. William B. Reed 



Mrs. Ward Rees 

Mrs. Mabel Shepard Robinson 

Mrs. Belle Shepard Ronan 

William R. Russell 

Ray M. Sanford 

Miss Addie E. Shepard 

Charles William Shepard 

Fred H. Shepard 

George E. Shepard, Jr. 

Mrs. Helen Foote Skiff 

Mrs. Alice Shepard Smith 

Dr. Edward S. Smith 

Philip C. Smith 

Mrs. Philip C. Smith 

Rev. Robert Keating Smith 

Mrs. Robert Keating Smith 

Dexter A. Snow 

Franklin A. Snow 

Miss Ellen W. Talmadge 

Mrs. Edward Taylor 

Miss Harriet A. Taylor 

Henry G. Taylor 

Mrs. Henry G. Taylor 

Miss Mary S. Thayer 

Mrs. Etta Snow Turner 

Mrs. Della Lee Van Deusen 

Lt. Col. Edwin R. Van Deusen 

Rev. Gabriel J. Van Roth 

Rev. Konstantinas Vasilauskas 

Mrs. Mary Owen Walkley 

Mrs. Etta Snow Waterman 

Arthur F. Way 

John T. Way 

George E. Whipple 

Mrs. Florence Fuller Whitney 

Mrs. Maria Moseley Whitney 

Dr. William H. Whitney 

Mrs. Alice Walkley Winslow 

Mrs. Anne Saunders Whitcomb 



129 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS 

Archie D. Robinson, Chairman 



Mrs. Lucy Little Abbe 
Park W. Allen 
Leonard C. Atwater 
William E. Atwater 
Miss Helen M. Austin 
Charles E. Avery 
Miss Fannie Baber 
Frank P. Barber 
William L. Bartlett 
Joseph D. Bates 
Lindsey a. Bolio 
Miss Alice Crary Brown 
Edward C. Bryan 
Florence W. Burke 
William Seth Bush 
Sumner B. Campbell 
Wilbur G. Cargill 
Miss Rose Carroll 
Miss Anna G. Clark 
Edward G. Clark 
James H. Clark 
Dennis M. Cole 
Mrs. George W. Collier 
Dr. Wallace J. Collins 
Arthur G. Cook 
Mrs. Ethel King Cowles 
Frank E. Cowles 
Glenn B. Cowxes 
Harry A. Cowles 
Edward G. Crotty 
Charles A. Dewey 
Frank S. Dewey 
Louis M. Dewey 
Thomas J. Dewey, Jr. 
Edward F. Diehl 
Mrs. G. Fred Dill 
Mrs. Eugene Doherty 
Miss Nellie A. Doherty 



Cornelius F. Donovan 

Dr. Julius M. Dutton 

Mrs. Catherine Freed Ensign 

Charles F. Ensworth 

John P. Fogarty 

Albert E. Fowler 

Miss Eloise L Fowler 

John H. Fowler 

Mrs. Mary Allen Fowler 

Louis M. Fuller 

Lester E. Gibbs 

William E. Gibbs 

Darwin L. Gillett 

Harry W. Gladwin 

Mrs. Leona Hale Gowdy 

Archie O. Granger 

Arthur E. Green 

Miss Mary Grant 

J. Lyman Gray 

Mrs. James W. Hagar 

Henry W. Hallbourg 

Derwin G. Hamer 

Mrs. Isabelle Gladwin Hedges 

John J. Hearn 

Malcolm B. Harding 

Mrs. Edward A. Herrick 

Charles A. Hickson 

Edward E. Hinsman 

Robert C. Hollister 

William W. Hosmer 

Harold E. Howard 

George E. Hubbard 

Edward H. Hull 

Frederick Hull 

Edwin M. Humphreyville 

Mrs. Charles J. Iles 

George E. Judson 

Miss Eliza E. Kellogg 



130 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Mrs. May Sizer Kenyon 

Mrs. Sadie Barnes Knox 

Mrs. Harry C. Lane 

Miss Maud A. Lewis 

Rev. John H. Lockwood 

Mrs. Axie Van Deusen Logie 

Mrs. Frances Parsons Loomis 

George W. Loomis 

Mrs. Mary Noble Loomis 

Miss Mary E. Lyman 

Dr. Joseph Maroney 

Mrs. James C. McCarthy 

Preston T. Miller 

Mrs. Frances Hassler Morrissey 

Arthur C. Mosely 

Harris B. Moulton 

Horace G. Nelson 

Clifton A. Noble 

Mrs. Howard G. Noble 

James M. Noble 

Arthur G. Norton 

Mrs. Frank C. Parker 

Mrs. Rose Tracy Parker 

Henry B. Prout 

Harry B. Putnam 

Ward Rees 

Miss Edith M. Rob bins 

Howard Shepard Robinson 

George E. Robinson 

Mrs. Julia Noble Rockwood 

Miss A. Romaine Ronan 

Miss Leona S. Ronan 

Dr. Edward J. Sammons 



Herbert O. Sanford 

Mrs. Irene Sauter Sanford 

Leigh Sanford 

Fred Schmidt 

Dr. Arthur T. Schoonmaker 

Frederick H. Scott 

George H. Sharp 

Dr. Wallace F. Shaw 

Mrs. Mary Avery Shepard 

Edwin F. Shepard 

Mrs. Mary Chapman Shine 

George T. Slauter 

Charles G. Smith 

Mrs. Clara Gibbs Smith 

Edwin J. Smith 

Mrs. Florence Ely Smith 

Miss Louise E. Snow 

Miss Mary E. Steimer 

Harry R. Stiles 

Edward H. Taylor 

James Tierney 

Frederick J. Tooke 

George A. Upson 

Henry M. Van Deusen 

Mrs. May Van Deusen 

Spencer M. Van Deusen 

Dr. George A. Walkley 

Mrs. Jennie Austin Warren 

Mrs. Nellie Shepard West 

William C. Whole an 

Bernard C. Wolcott 

Mrs. Irma Dyson Wolcott 



131 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



UNVEILING CEREMONIES 

"If rain failed to halt the progress of the parade, it did disrupt 
the ceremonies planned for the unveiling and the dedication of 
the Major-General William Shepard monument. Optimists to 
the last, the committee made every arrangement for carrying out 
the program according to schedule. The Red Cross stand was 
built, and occupied by a few brave women. Hundreds of seats 
had been placed facing the exedra and the statue for the unveiling 
exercises and the accommodation of those who wished to remain 
for the speaking. The prescribed areas were roped off also, to 
handle the dense crowds which had been expected. The weather 
forced the abandonment of this plan, and at the last moment it 
was decided to have the exercises in the Methodist Church which 
is located within a few rods of the statue. 

"Almost before the military parade had finished passing the 
reviewing stand. Miss Elizabeth Grover Shepard, of Short Hills, 
N. J., great-great-great-granddaughter of the Revolutionary hero, 
accompanied by Edwin Shepard of Westfield, a great-great-grand- 
son of Westfield's General and a returned overseas service man, 
stepped to the statue exedra. Chairman Henry W. Ely of the 
Monument Committee spoke briefly. Miss Shepard placed a 
wreath at the base of the statue and then pulled the unveiling- 
cord, and as the shroud slipped from the great bronze figure, two 
huge American flags unfolded slowly at either side. This com- 
pleted the unveiling ceremony. 

"Notices nailed to trees and buildings told of the change of 
arrangements and within a few moments the Methodist Church 
was packed to capacity. Before the opening of the official pro- 
gram there were selections by the church organist. As the party 
of distinguished guests and members of the several committees 
filed to the pulpit platform, the audience rose in greeting and 
remained standing while the 104th Infantry Band played 'Gloria' 
from 'Twelfth Mass' by Mozart." — The Springfield Union. 



132 



SPEAKERS AT DEDICATION 
OF THE GENERAL SHEPARD MONUMENT 





Arthur S. Kneil 

John H. Lockwood, D. D. 



lltnry W. Ely 
l.ouis 1.. Keefe 



Speakers at Dedication of the General Shepard Monument 




His Excellency Calvin Coolidge, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
Hon. Samuel W. McCall, former Governor of Massachusetts 
Major-General Clarence R. Edwards, United States Army 
John C. Robinson 

Speakers at Dedication of the General Shepard Monument 




STATUE OF 

Major-General William Shepard 

Unveiled at Westfield, Massachusetts, 
SEPTEMBER 3. 1919 



133 



ORDER of EXERCISES 



*'Gloria" from "Twelfth Mass" Mozart 

1 04th REGIMENTAL BAND 

Address of Welcome Henry W. Ely, Chairman 

"America" Samuel F. Smilh 

BANDS. CHOIR AND PEOPLE 

Invocation Rev. John H. Lockwood 

Unveiling of Statue Elizabeth Grover Shepard 

attended by Edwin Shepard 

Introduction of Augustus Lukeman, Sculptor Chairman 
Presentation of Monument Arthur S. Kneil 

Acceptance of Monument Louis L. Keefe 

Address John C. Robinson 

"General Shepard, Citizen and Soldier" 
* 'American Hymn" ^c^^er 

CHOIR 

Address Governor Calvin Coolidge 

Oration Honorable Samuel W. McCall 

Address Major-General Clarence R. Edwards 

**Commandery March" Carter 

CONSOLIDATED BANDS. 1 04th and SHORT'S 



134 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

INVOCATION 
Rev. John H. Lockwood, D.D. 

Thou Eternal God, our Father, Father of all men, of every 
nation, we lift to Thee this day the voice of thanksgiving that 
our lot has fallen in such a goodly heritage, that we have so great 
a domain and so noble an ancestry to remember at this time. We 
call upon our souls and all that is within us to bless and magnify 
Thy great and holy name, and, remembering Thy many mercies, 
we remember especially today the heroic lives that have made 
this land what it is, in character and in blessedness. 

We thank Thee for those noble souls who from generation to 
generation have sought not their own, but have merged their 
personality into the weal of the common good. We thank Thee 
that we have one especially to remember this day, who went 
out from this region, a lad, to fight the battles of his country; 
and again when his country was menaced went out to spend years 
in faithful, devoted, efficient service. 

We thank Thee that as we gather today so worthy a leader is 
impressed upon us. We thank Thee for those who have come 
after him who, like him, have considered their own personal good 
but a privilege by way of offering upon the nation's welfare. 
And we pray Thee, O Lord, that as our poor minds are stirred up 
by way of remembrance, our wills may be energized to do our 
part in this goodly line, to take the torch that has come down 
to us undimmed and pass it on with quickening glow to those who 
shall come after us, so that this land shall continue to be a heri- 
tage for all the oppressed, for the poor and the needy, and shall 
continue to be instinct with high purposes and holy ideals. 

Bless those who shall take part in these exercises, and grant 
that everything that is done here in concluding this memorial 
celebration shall redound to Thine honor and may tend to provoke 
to nobler manhood and worthier citizenship all who relate it to 
this goodly town. 

Hear us, and do unto us exceeding abundantly above all that 
we ask of Thee. Amen. 



135 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME 

Henry W. Ely 

Fellow Citizens: 

Citizens of no mean country, — a country of unnumbered 
acres; rich in natural resources, producing under its own 
flag every necessity and luxury sufficient to feed, clothe, 
arm and transport from continent to continent half of the 
civilized world; first in primary and industrial education 
and in the practice of the useful arts; courageous, without 
fear; invincible in war; the refuge for more than two cen- 
turies of the poor, oppressed, and of such as seek liberty 
and happiness from everywhere, that seek conscience free- 
dom, without distinction as to race, creed or religion; the 
home of the sower and the reaper, of the scholar, the artisan 
and the mechanic, the homemakers country, we welcome 
you. 

Your country has not been, and is not now, a quitter 
country; it is in no sense a negative country; it is not a 
neutral country; no country in a hundred years has exer- 
cised indirectly at least a more potential and commanding 
influence in all lands, than has the United States of America. 
Its missionaries of every kind have carried to the ends of 
the earth backed by the strongest public opinion at home, 
the gospel of right living and the establishment of right 
government. Your country carries in the forefront of civil- 
ization the torch that is lighting the way of human prog- 
ress through the ages. From the force of circumstances 
and by reason of its inherent fundamental rightness and 
soundness the United States holds in its hands responsi- 
bility for the future conscientious conduct and civilization 
throughout the world. 

The right of this Republic to live, to everlasting life is not 
based on our uncounted acres or our material resources, 

136 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

but on moral sovereignty, the tenacity with which our 
people have clung to this ideal; to the Pilgrim and Revo- 
lutionary fathers who came into this wilderness world and 
with their bare hands established a new nation for them- 
selves and their posterity; in short, this government is a 
composite man not like the chain as weak or strong as the 
weakest link, but stronger than the strongest man, wiser 
than the wisest man, more patient than the most patient 
man, more altruistic than any man. While I have seen 
men who would take advantage of or receive special favors 
from their government through weakness or selfishness, I 
have never yet seen an American who would for a moment 
tolerate departure by his government from the highest type 
of morality, justice, brotherly kindness or be willing that 
his government should do less than its utmost in the inter- 
est not only of his countrymen, but all distressed and suffer- 
ing peoples everywhere. 

Westfield remembers today, with satisfaction and pride, 
the thousands of its sons and daughters who, in the gone by 
years, wrought worthily and effectively and have passed 
over to the majority. We feel the influence of their poten- 
tial lives; they are not lost to us, these inhabitants of 
another country are with us now. It is our great good 
fortune and pleasure to welcome as our guests His Excel- 
lency, the governor of the Commonwealth, a former dis- 
tinguished governor of the Commonwealth, a major gen- 
eral of the United States Army, and distinguished citizens 
occupying high places in the government of our country, 
our Commonwealth, our county and our town; one and 
all we welcome you. 

And you venerable citizens, soldiers of 1861, who came 
forward at your country's call to take part in the irrepres- 
sible conflict for the preservation of the union, and to bring 
freedom and opportunity to an oppressed race, you boys in 
blue, — God bless and keep you each and every one, — we 

137 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

greet you. And you sons approaching middle life who went 
forth in accordance with the best traditions of this country 
to bring liberty and opportunity, to establish orderly gov- 
ernment in Cuba, and in the Philippines, we extend to 
you a most hearty welcome. 

America, the child, has proved its regard for Europe, 
the parent. You sons of Westfield, who but yesterday 
rallied around the banner of the great republic and in the 
fiercest struggle of the ages hurled back the forces of polit- 
ical and moral reaction on the battlefields of France, on the 
sea, in the air, and in the training camps of America, we 
acclaim and applaud you for the battles won and purpose 
accomplished; we mourn with you and for the comrades 
who gave their lives that the cause of freedom and liberty 
might live. We receive you back into our arms with hearts 
of thankfulness and with confident smiles for a glorious 
future. 

And you, who were not born in this freedom and citizen- 
ship, purchased and defended at such great price by our 
ancestors, men and women to whom such freedom is not 
an inheritance, but who have been made citizens under 
just laws and by court's decree, as though you were to the 
manor born, we welcome you. And you who represent 
peoples to whom the friendly hand of the United States 
has been outstretched, feeding them when they were hun- 
gry, clothing them when they were naked, and delivering 
them from the hands of their oppressors in the generations 
that have passed and in this generation, although we can- 
not, and no organization or aggregation of citizens can, 
grant to you the privilege of participating in any way in 
the direction and control of the affairs of the government, 
to whom we cannot properly grant the right even to 
create public opinion that can in any way give direction to 
the country, we recognize you as brothers, as friends, and 
your great service to us. We trust that we may be of 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

equally great service to you, and extend to you a hearty 
welcome. 

If there is here today any man, like the guest especially 
invited to John Norton's Christmas in the bleak, snow- 
bound wilderness, the vagabond, the man who had lost 
his courage, — if there is any man here, or woman here, or 
anywhere, over whose eyes events and circumstances have 
so woven a web that his vision is obscured, who does not 
see quite clearly, and through some real or fancied griev- 
ance is in some doubt as to whether or not this great coun- 
try can meet its problems and solve them, is in some doubt 
as to whether or not in the goings and the comings this 
country has or will establish justice, insure domestic tran- 
quillity, provide for the common defence, and promote the 
general welfare, — if there is one here that is in doubt 
whether or not this nation can and will meet all its enemies, 
foreign and domestic, and strangle them to death, we 
especially w^elcome you, that you may today hear voices 
out of the great, whispering galleries of the past, that you 
may see the movement of marching men at Lexington and 
Concord and Bunker Hill and Saratoga and Trenton and 
Yorktown. We welcome you one and all to take part in 
the doings of this day. 



139 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



PRESENTATION OF MONUMENT 

Introducing Mr. Lukeman, Mr. Ely said: You have all seen the beautiful 
statue of General Shepard on the Green. I know it will he a pleasure to you 
to greet the gentleman and distinguished sculptor who fashioned that statue. 
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Augustus Lukeman of New York. 

Mr. Lukeman did not speak, but he received prolonged applause as he rose 
and bowed. 

In behalf of the committee who had charge of its erection, Arthur S. Kneil 
presented the statue to the tow?i, and Louis J. Keefe formally accepted it for 
the citizens of Westfield. 

Arthur S. Kneil 

Fellow Citizens of Westfield: 

I have the honor, in behalf of the committee appointed 
by the town to procure and erect a suitable monument to 
General Shepard, to report the completion and erection of 
a statue in accordance with the vote of the town. 

It is my further high privilege, on the part of this com- 
mittee, now to officially transfer this statue and memorial 
to the town, through its selectmen. 

It is the work of a noted sculptor, one of the highest 
achievements of his great art and, we believe, is destined 
to be one of the distinguished works of sculpture in New 
England. 

Its setting is in an exedra of artistic beauty, which is 
designed for practical and common use, as an agora or 
forum for public concourse and civic or political discussion 
and debate. 

It is placed in the heart of the town. It is close to the 
site of the church through whose doors he went many years 
as a member and deacon. It is near to the old Academy, 
an early school of higher education of which he was a 
founder and an original trustee. It is opposite the site of 
the old Town House where he often presided as moderator 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

of the annual meetings and elections and in which he sat 
as a member of the Committee on Correspondence and 
Safety, as the dark and portentous clouds of revolution 
were gathering; from which he went out as a selectman 
when the news came of the fight at Lexington, and to which 
he came back to serve again, though then exalted in na- 
tional honor, as selectman of the little town. 

It is placed on our beautiful town Green, co-eval with 
our earliest life, where he gathered and drilled his minute- 
men and whence he led them out to Dorchester Heights 
and the great Revolution. It stands upon a spot inter- 
woven with all our history and traditions, with which much 
of his later life was associated, and where, in his later years, 
he was an inspiring and beloved figure on training days. 

It is not for me to recite his history and state his record 
of military and civic performance and achievement. That 
is to be told to you by others. 

Distinguished as a general, legislator and statesman; 
distinguished, also, for faithful performance, throughout 
his life of the plain, primitive duties of good citizenship, 
and for constant fulfillment of his obligations to his coun- 
try and his fellowmen, it has seemed a fitting thing to erect 
a statue to him and his memory. He was a soldier of many 
years active service in two of his country's historic wars; 
rising from the position of private to that of high general 
command ; a statesman taking part in the legislative coun- 
sels of his fellows and, with equal talent and wisdom nego- 
tiating treaties at the councils of the Penobscot Indians 
and in the Long House of the Iroquois. 

He was a soldier and a statesman; but above all things 
and at all times he was a citizen of the Republic and of 
democracy. 

It is a grateful tribute to a great and worthy man who, 
in the classic words with which the Roman people con- 
ferred their highest honors, deserved well of his town, his 

141 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

colony, his commonwealth and nation. It is a memorial of 
the sacrifices, the heroic deeds, the inspired principles and 
lofty purposes of our Revolutionary forefathers. It is a 
token of our recognition of the cardinal, vital worth of good 
citizenship, both in war and peace; and of the fundamental 
importance of ready and constant performance of civic 
duties. 

On no other structures can the certain and abiding foun- 
dations of a state be laid. 

We rear today a memorial to the ever memorable past; 
we rear also a memorial and a pledge for both the present 
and the future ; and this we do at a time when the farmers' 
shot at Lexington, once heard around the world, now sounds 
around the world again in tones of thunder. 

To quote great words which it is almost irreverent to 
repeat, it is not for us to dedicate but rather for us to be 
dedicated to the great tasks and mighty purposes before us. 

The long, eternal march of human kind goes by. We 
are in the front but for a moment. Far off, against the 
almost inaccessible skies are the banners and spear heads 
of the mighty army which has gone before. Behind, fast 
crowding upon us, come the advancing generations. We 
present this memorial to be a public testimony and affirma- 
tion, through the presence of this voiceless but speaking 
bronze, that we have kept faith with the great and heroic 
past; that we have held and fulfilled the sacred tradition, 
handed to us by the fathers; and, further, to be a token of 
renewal, by those who follow behind us, of the solemn 
covenant that the republic which the men who won our 
liberties and framed our government ordained for them- 
selves and their posterity, shall never perish from the 
earth. 



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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ACCEPTANCE OF MONUMENT 
Louis L. Keefe 

It is quite evident that you have listened with attention 
and pleasure to the gentlemen who have spoken, one 
extending to you on this inclement day the welcome greet- 
ings of Westfield and one presenting you with a work of art 
of surpassing design and execution, something which we 
believe your children will cherish and which will be to 
distant generations an inspiration and delight. 

Have we not this day beheld the consummation of genius 
and art, of art revealed through the hand and the eye, 
and of genius whose noblest expression comes through the 
lips from the heart! And, having reached the summit, it 
were as well no doubt that we might now rest content, for 
in every affair of consequence there are supreme heights 
beyond which genius cannot go, and those bounds seem to 
have been irremovably fixed, whether it is Stevenson who 
stabs a woman in the wilderness at midnight, or Victor 
Hugo who kindles a divine and celestial light in the dark 
conscience of some poor, unhappy convict slave. But 
custom and your tendency for detail seem to require a few 
words in acceptance and reply,— a privilege for which one 
might be truly grateful, but an honor hardly to be repaid. 
In the Apennines there are shadows so somber and deep 
and dark that a cautious soul hesitates to advance. It is 
not our purpose, therefore, to attempt a further inquiry 
into a subject which has been so well, though briefly, 
discussed. Our duties lie in simple, humble ways, like 
those who dim the lights after the banquet is over. 

In the long train of events, culminating with the exer- 
cises of today, and stretching back for two centuries and a 
half, so many glorious things have been achieved, the 
record of human progress has been so amazingly advanced, 

143 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

individual effort has attained to heights so singular and 
extreme, it is of slight consequence — of no consequence — 
what may be spoken here. Here are all those glorious 
memories revived, of Concord and Lexington, and here 
have we once again been brought very close to the pain and 
suffering of those desperate, dark days. 

For when that army of half starved Continentals at 
Valley Forge was the most that stood between liberty and 
oppression, how beautiful and singular to reflect that out 
of suffering may come happiness, that out of the darkness 
of war, that out of discord and tumult and of loud alarm 
may come a kind of universal harmony, plaintive and 
sweet, like the rich voices of those musical southerners 
singing their plantation melodies in the night time. 

In the battle at Concord Bridge — something which today 
would be called a skirmish, but yet a battle which stirred 
all civilization to its very depths — in that battle were 
killed two English soldiers whose names were never learned, 
and there a few yards from the bridge, in among weeds by 
the roadside, their grave was made, which in time has been 
surmounted by a plain, flat stone, bearing this inscription 
by Mr. Lowell : 

"They came three thousand miles and died 
To keep the Past secure upon its throne." 

"To keep the Past secure upon its throne!" That brief 
tribute to the patriotism of the dead soldier is an epitome 
of all England's glory. 

And have not you in some wise been animated to the 
same purpose in building this memorial to a soldier man, 
and that the past might keep its place in your memory and 
not be forgotten? And so it seems that the spirit of 1776, 
the call of the past, the call which led the patriots through 
the hardships of many a bleak winter, has led you here 

144 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

today, just as the call of the woods leads many a social 
spirit into their solitary, appealing haunts. 

It is well for the soul that it has ways to expand. That 
memorial which you have come today to dedicate, appeal- 
ing as it does to the intellect as well as to the eye, has a 
power that shall irresistibly draw you, speaks with a voice 
you cannot choose but hear. To some it will be a symbol 
of strength and resolution and strong will, qualities which 
befit a patriot and soldier. To a few it will mean only so 
many hours of labor, which were as well spent in the wheat 
fields or mending the roads, for humanity is a vast sea in 
which the soundings are not always deep. But to you, 
who look upon it with grateful eyes, and with eyes drawn to 
beauty and truth, it represents more than so many strokes 
with a hammer. It represents the soul struggling to ex- 
press an ideal. And, by the same token and in some such 
way, life is not made up of great events and cunning 
strokes, but somewhat of devotion, of sacrifice and faith 
and love. 

Mr. Chairman, gentlemen, your committee: In behalf 
of the citizens of Westfield, in behalf of her youth, who, 
growing soon familiar with the character of General Shep- 
ard, shall the sooner learn that truth, that integrity is the 
only nobility, and shall learn to reverence their country, 
for which men in very love and devotion have yielded their 
lives; in behalf of those who toil in factory and field, who 
may see in that Shepard statue something which cheers 
and exalts, and who, reflecting at times on the tranquillity 
of a useful life, shall learn there, if nowhere else, that con- 
tent is the only wealth ; in behalf of her scholars, who, remem- 
bering the glory of Thermopylae, shall not forget the 
sacrifices at Gettysburg; in behalf of posterity, who, from 
age to age, shall pass that way and shall confess their 
gratitude for an ancestry so generous, so prominent, so 
mindful, so thoughtful of the future; and in loving remem- 

10 145 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

brance of those heroic young men who sleep today on the 
hills of France, we accept this Shepard memorial, which, if 
you will, shall this day be dedicated to the eternal prin- 
ciples of justice and freedom. 

And to you, gentlemen of the committee, in all sincerity 
our thanks are extended for the labor which you so gener- 
ously, thoughtfully and — may I not say? — lovingly have 
performed. Our citizens of Westfield from your com- 
mittee's hands through mine receive this memorial to one 
whom Nature blessed with a courageous mind. I know 
not from what great depths it came, what labor wrenched 
it from its ancient bed, or in what flaming furnace it was 
fashioned to that fair design, but this we may assert — if 
you are true to the ideals which are there so plainly set 
forth you cannot fail. Courage, it seems to say, and 
faith, and the victory is yours! 

Receive it, then, in the spirit in which it has been so 
graciously presented, and sometimes when you pass that 
way reflect for a moment upon the courage and piety and 
dignity of the life which has gone, and see if we do not agree 
in this — that from the contemplation of the beautiful and 
of the sublime we gather strength for the heroic things 
in life and a better comprehension of its wonderful 
possibilities. 



146 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Introducing Mr. John C. Robinson, Mr. Ely said: Probably there is no 
family in Westfield better known than the family of Moseley. From earliest 
times of our town history they have occupied places of importance, trust and 
honor. Permit me to present one of the sons of that family, John C. Robinson, 
of Springfield. 

GENERAL SHEPARD, CITIZEN AND SOLDIER 
John C. Robinson 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

I appreciate your courteous introduction, and I am very 
glad that my ancestors were the friends and associates of 
General Shepard. When he was made a brigadier-general 
it was my great-great-grandfather, David Moseley, who, 
having formerly served as his lieutenant-colonel, succeeded 
him as colonel of the Third Massachusetts Infantry. And 
later General Shepard's son William married the colonel's 
daughter, making the association of the families still closer. 

As a boy in Westfield I knew a number of men who in 
their youth had known General Shepard. My own grand- 
father was a young man of about twenty when General 
Shepard died, and I remember with what universal respect 
his name was always mentioned. But it is more than a 
hundred years since he was laid at rest In the old cemetery 
on Mechanic Street, and there Is no one alive today who 
can speak of him personally. To most of you he is little 
more than a name, and it seems altogether fitting that we 
should consider, as simply and as briefly as possible, who 
he was, what he did, who were the men with whom he was 
associated, what were the events in which he played a part. 

William Shepard was born in Westfield in 1737. His 
father was John Shepard, a tanner, and his mother before 
her marriage was Elizabeth Noble. His grandfather, also 
a John Shepard, was born in Suffolk County, England, and 
settled in Westfield about 1700. 

147 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

William Shepard was the fourth child in a family of nine, 
and after attending Westfield's single school he enlisted, 
at the age of seventeen, as a common soldier in the colonial 
forces at the outbreak of the French and Indian War. 
After about two years he was promoted to a sergeancy, 
somewhat later to a lieutenancy, and reached the rank of 
captain before the end of the war. 

He served under Abercrombie in the disastrous attack 
on Fort Ticonderoga, and later, under General Amherst, 
took part in the campaign that drove the enemy from Lake 
George and Lake Champlain, and, in co-operation with 
Wolfe's capture of Quebec, brought the war to an end. 

It is an odd and interesting coincidence that in this war 
he should have served first as a lieutenant under Colonel 
Ephraim Williams, the founder of Williams College, a 
scholarly man, who inspired him with an ambition to im- 
prove his limited education, and later as a captain under 
General Amherst, for whom the other of our older western 
Massachusetts colleges is named. 

Returning to Westfield at the end of the war, he married, 
at the age of twenty- two, Sarah Dewey, a girl of eighteen, 
and for the next fourteen years he lived quietly the life of a 
farmer and country surveyor, caring for his growing family 
and taking little or no part in the events leading up to the 
Revolutionary War. 

In 1774 he was elected a selectman, and later in the same 
year was made a member of the Committee of Public 
Safety and Correspondence. 

At the outbreak of the Revolution he was commissioned 
lieutenant-colonel of the Third Massachusetts Infantry. 
This regiment joined the American forces outside of Boston 
sometime in June, 1775. The battle of Bunker Hill was 
fought on the 17th, and he did not take part in that historic 
struggle, though he may have been in Roxbury or Cam- 
bridge at the time. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

A few weeks later Washington assumed command of the 
Army, and in his correspondence and diary bitterly com- 
plained of the inefficiency and inexperience of most of the 
officers under him. Shepard's energy, sense and experience 
soon attracted his attention, and they became friends, a 
friendship that lasted as long as Washington lived. 

After the evacuation of Boston by the British in the 
spring of 1776 Shepard's regiment was transferred to Long 
Island, he himself made its colonel, and it was attached to 
General Glover's division. In the well executed retreat 
from Long Island, following General Putnam's defeat, 
Glover's division acted as a rear guard and, a few weeks 
later, at Pell's Point, when Washington's Army was 
stretched out along the east shore of the Hudson, this 
division, unaided, defeated a vastly superior British force 
that had all but cut the American Army in two. 

This was one of the most furiously contested and critical 
battles of the Revolution, and in it Shepard was seriously 
wounded. He seems to have recovered quickly, however, 
for he was with Washington in the retreat across the Jer- 
seys, and at Trenton and Princeton — those two brilliant 
victories that did so much to raise the courage of the almost 
disheartened colonies — it was again Glover's division that 
played a most important part. 

This ended the fighting for that winter, but the next 
summer we find Shepard in the north with Gates in his 
campaign against Burgoyne. He seems, however, to have 
been recalled by Washington sometime during the season, 
for when Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga in October the 
Third Infantry was under the command of his successor. 

The following winter Shepard spent with Washington 
at Valley Forge. There he was in close contact with Alex- 
ander Hamilton, who had been a fellow soldier with him 
in the Long Island and Jersey campaigns, but had now 
become Washington's aide-de-camp. He also met here 

149 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

for the first time the Marquis de Lafayette, who had 
joined Washington's Army while he was in the north, and 
tradition says that they were closely associated for the bal- 
ance of the war. There seems to be some question regard- 
ing this, however, for shortly after the battle of Monmouth 
and the Rhode Island campaign, in which they were both 
engaged, Lafayette returned to France and did not come 
back to this country again until shortly before the end of 
the war. 

After the battle of Monmouth Shepard was one of the 
judges in the court martial that convicted General Lee, 
and it was during this summer that he was made a briga- 
dier-general. 

It is difficult to trace his career after he became a general. 
The records are fragmentary and conflicting. It seems, 
however, that he spent considerable time with Washington, 
was ordered by him on special missions, and that he also 
served with Gates and afterwards with Greene in their 
southern campaigns, leading up to the surrender of Corn- 
wallis at Yorktown in 1 78 1 . 

This closed his career as a Revolutionary soldier, for, 
while there was desultory fighting from this time up to the 
signing of the peace treaty, he took no part in it, though he 
was not definitely discharged until 1783. 

The years from the close of the Revolution to Washing- 
ton's election as President have been termed the most crit- 
ical period in American history, and during this time Gen- 
eral Shepard served his country even more notably than in 
the war itself. 

Returning to Westfield, he was at once re-elected to the 
Board of Selectmen, and after serving in this capacity for 
four years was sent to the lower branch of the Legislature. 

There had been almost unlimited issues of paper currency 
during the war, with the resulting inflation, extravagance 
and increasing indebtedness that always follow such financ- 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

ing. Foreign commerce had been destroyed, local indus- 
try was demoralized, the state was heavily in debt and 
taxes were very high. 

These were the conditions that brought about Shays' 
Rebellion. Its leaders were Luke Day of West Springfield 
and Daniel Shays of Pelham. Bowdoin was governor. 
General Shepard had been made major-general of militia 
on his return from Revolutionary service. 

The insurgents had reasonable ground for complaint 
against the existing laws and conditions, and a very large 
proportion of the people of Massachusetts were in sympathy 
with them, but their methods were everlastingly wrong. 

When, in the autumn of 1786, they attempted to prevent 
the convening of the court in Springfield, Shepard, at the 
head of a small body of militia, by persuasion rather than 
force succeeded in dispersing them. But a few months 
later, in January, 1787, Shays, having gathered a force far 
larger than the militia under General Shepard, attempted 
to capture the armory at Springfield. This time persuasion 
proved of no avail, and it was only after a considerable 
number of the insurgents had been killed and wounded 
that they gave up the attempt. This was the last impor- 
tant conflict of the rebellion. Shepard was in the field for 
several months and there was minor fighting throughout 
the state but Shepard's action had determined the outcome. 

If I have seemed to dwell unduly upon this episode of 
General Shepard's career it is because I believe it was his 
most important service to his state and his country, a 
service with which his name will always be associated in 
the annals of American history. Had he not used persua- 
sion and tact in the first place in dealing with the insurgents, 
though advised to use force at once by Bowdoin and Han- 
cock, he would have secured for them the sympathy of the 
great majority of people through the state, and what would 
have been the outcome we do not know. But when at 

151 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

last he found that persuasion was useless, when they had 
demonstrated by their actions their unfitness for carrying 
out the measures they desired, when it was a question 
between anarchy and democracy, then Shepard acted. 

You will remember that it was but a few weeks after 
this that the Constitutional convention met, and it may not 
be an over-statement to say that but for this occurrence 
the drafting and enactment of the constitution might have 
been impossible, for it demonstrated beyond question 
that a democracy must have power to maintain its own 
sovereignty. 

Shepard was that autumn elected to the State Senate, 
and the Legislature by formal resolution approved his 
action and honored him. 

While he was in the Senate he served as a member of the 
Constitutional convention that, after a long and bitter 
struggle, adopted the Federal Constitution, and it is of 
interest to remember that the delegates from Westfield and 
Springfield were among the few men from western Massa- 
chusetts who voted in favor of adoption. 

The following year it was his privilege to be one of the 
first presidential electors from Massachusetts, a position 
then carrying far greater responsibility than now, and 
further, giving him the privilege of voting for his old 
friend and associate of Revolutionary days. General Wash- 
ington. This honor was again conferred upon him four 
years later. 

He served also as commissioner to the Penobscot Indians, 
settling difi^erences so amicably on this mission that he was 
shortly afterwards called upon to act in a similar capacity 
with the Iroquois. 

After four years of service in the Senate he was elected a 
member of the Governor's Council, serving with John 
Hancock up to the time of his death, and later with Samuel 
Adams, his successor. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Hancock and Shepard were born the same year. Han- 
cock was wealthy; Shepard was poor. Hancock was a 
Harvard graduate ; Shepard had but a most limited educa- 
tion. And yet I am sure that Shepard 's shrewd judgment 
and common sense was a most fortunate influence on Han- 
cock's conceit. 

When Samuel Adams became governor he was an old 
man, bigoted but brilliant, and he too needed the associa- 
tion of a man like Shepard. 

In 1796 Shepard was elected a member of the Fifth 
Congress. John Adams had just been chosen President, 
and the conflict within the Federalist party had already 
begun that brought about its downfall. 

Shepard was re-elected two years later, and saw the 
Federal capital transferred from Philadelphia, the largest 
city on the continent, to Washington, a straggling village 
on the Potomac. He was re-elected to the Seventh Con- 
gress, and served during the first two years of Jefferson's 
administration. 

His congressional record is interesting. The problems 
then chiefly before Congress were our diplomatic relations 
with France and England and the issues connected with 
them. 

Shepard was not an orator, but he was a ready debater 
and took a considerable part in the discussion of matters 
before Congress. He was strongly in favor of prepared- 
ness, though he opposed extravagance even in the raising of 
an army. He supported a militia in comparison with a 
national army, on the ground that a national army could 
only be raised and maintained by means of a draft. 

While he was a Federalist, at the same time he voted 
independently on many issues, and with the wave that 
swept the Federalist party out of power he was removed 
from Congress, and the last fifteen years of his life were 
spent in Westfield. 

153 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

He was a man in limited circumstances, and lived quietly, 
but found time for many activities of public service. He 
was president of a club organized to found a library in 
Westfield. He was one of the first trustees of the Westfield 
Academy, chartered while he was in the Governor's Coun- 
cil. He repeatedly served as moderator of the local town 
meetings. He died a few days before his eightieth birthday, 
in 1817. 

He was not a theologian or a philanthropist, — at least in 
the ordinary acceptance of the term, — but for more than a 
quarter of a century he served as deacon of the old First 
Church, respected and loved by his fellow townsmen. 

He had but a limited education. He was not a construct- 
ive statesman. He was not an orator. And yet, as select- 
man, as legislator, as counselor to Hancock and Adams, 
as commissioner to the Indians, as congressman, as personal 
friend of Washington, his judgment was clear and his advice 
wise. 

He was not a great or brilliant general. Yet in two wars 
he carried out courageously and efficiently all work that 
was assigned to him. And when his great opportunity 
came, in the struggle between anarchy and democracy, that 
threatened to undo all that had been accomplished In the 
Revolutionary struggle, his clear thinking, his tact and his 
energy, when energy became necessary, played no small 
part In securing those blessings of liberty that we are enjoy- 
ing today. 



154 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Introducing His Excellency, Governor Calvin Coolidge, Mr. Ely said: 
Permit me to announce the Governor of the Commonwealth. 

ADDRESS 
His Excellency Calvin Coolidge 

Governor of Massachusetts 
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

We come here on this occasion to honor the past, and in 
that honor render more secure the present. It was by- 
such men as settled Westfield, and two hundred and fifty 
years ago estabHshed by law a chartered and ordered form 
of government, that the foundations of Massachusetts were 
laid. 

And it was on the foundations of Massachusetts that 
there began that training of the people for the great days 
that were to come, when they were prepared to endorse and 
support the principles set out in the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence, the Constitution of the United States of America 
and the emancipation proclamation of Abraham Lincoln. 
Here were planted the same seeds of righteousness victori- 
ous which later flourished with such abundance at Saratoga, 
at Gettysburg and at the second battle of the Marne. Stu- 
pendous results, the product of a people working with an 
Everlasting Purpose. 

While celebrating the history of Westfield this day has 
been set apart to the memory of one of her most illustrious 
sons. General William Shepard. To others are assigned the 
history of your town and the biography of your soldier. 
Into those particulars I shall not enter. But the principles 
of government and of citizenship which they so well repre- 
sent and nobly illustrate will never be untimely or unworthy 
of reiteration. 

The political history of Westfield has seen the success 
of a great forward movement, to which it contributed its 

155 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



part in establishing the principles that the individual in his 
rights is supreme, and that "governments derive their just 
powers from the consent of the governed." 

It is the establishment of liberty under an ordered form 
of government in this ancient town by the people themselves 
that today draws us here in admiration of her achievements. 
When we turn to the life of her patriotic son we see that he 
no less grandly illustrated the principle that to such gov- 
ernment, so established, the people owe an allegiance which 
has the binding power of the most solemn obligation. 

There is such a disposition in these days to deny that 
our government was formed by, or is now in control of the 
people, that a glance at the history of the days of General 
Shepard is peculiarly pertinent and instructive. 

The Constitution of Massachusetts, with its noble declara- 
tion of rights, was adopted in 1780. Under it we still live, 
with scarce any changes that affect the rights of the people. 
The end of the Revolutionary War w^as in 1783. Shays' 
Rebellion was in 1787. The American Constitution was 
ratified and adopted in 1788. These dates tell us what the 
form of government was that existed in that period. 

If there are any who doubt that our institutions, formed 
in those days, did not establish a people's government, let 
them study the action of the Massachusetts convention 
which ratified the Federal Constitution in 1788. Presiding 
over it was the popular patriot. Governor John Hancock. 
On the floor sat Samuel Adams, who had been the father of 
the Revolution, preeminent champion of the liberty of the 
people. Such an influence had he that his assertion of 
satisfaction was enough to carry the delegates. Like a 
majority of the members, he came opposed to ratification. 
Having totally thrown off the authority of foreign powers, 
they came suspicious of all outside authority. Besides, there 
were eighteen of their number who had taken part in Shays' 
Rebellion, so hostile were they to the execution of all law. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Mr. Adams was finally convinced by a gathering of the 
workingmen among his constituents, who exercised their 
constitutional right of instructing their representatives. 
Their opinion was presented to him by Paul Revere. "How 
many mechanics were at the Green Dragon when these 
resolutions were passed?" asked Mr. Adams. "More, sir, 
than the Green Dragon could hold." "And where were the 
rest?" "In the streets, sir." "And how many were in the 
streets?" "More than there are stars in the sky." This 
is supposed to have convinced the great Massachusetts 
tribune that it was his duty to support ratification. 

There were those, however, who distrusted the Consti- 
tution and distrusted its proponents. They viewed law- 
yers and men of means with great jealousy. Amos Single- 
tary expressed their sentiments in the form of an argument 
that has not ceased to be repeated in the discussion of all 
public questions. 

"These lawyers," he said, "and men of learning and 
moneyed men, that talk so finely and gloss over matters so 
smoothly, to make us poor illiterates swallow the pill, ex- 
pect to get into Congress themselves. They mean to be 
managers of the Constitution. They mean to get all the 
money into their hands, and then they will swallow up us 
little folk, like the great Leviathan, Mr. President; yes, just 
like the whale swallowed up Jonah." In the convention sat 
Jonathan Smith, a farmer from Lanesboro. He had seen 
Shays' Rebellion in the Berkshires. There has been no 
better example of a man of the people desiring the common 
good. 

" I am a plain man," said Mr. Smith, "and I am not used 
to speak in public, but I am going to show the effects of 
anarchy, that you may see why I wish for good government. 
Last winter people took up arms, and then, if you went to 
speak to them, you had the musket of death presented 
to your breast. They would rob you of your property, 

157 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

threaten to burn your houses, oblige you to be on your 
guard night and day. Alarms spread from town to town, 
families were broken up, the tender mother would cry, 
"Oh, my son is among them! What shall I do for my child?" 
Some were taken captive; children taken out of their 
schools and carried away. How dreadful was all this! Our 
distress was so great that we should have been glad to 
snatch at anything that looked like a government. Now, 
Mr. President, when I saw this Constitution, I found that 
it was a cure for these disorders. I got a copy of it, and 
read it over and over. I did not go to any lawyer to ask 
his opinion. We have no lawyer in our town, and we 
do well enough without. My honorable old daddy there 
(pointing to Mr. Singletary) won't think that I expect to 
be a congressman, and swallow up the liberties of the 
people. I never had any post, nor do I want one. But I 
don't think the worse of the Constitution because lawyers, 
and men of learning, and moneyed men are fond of it. I 
am not of such a jealous make. They that are honest men 
themselves are not apt to be suspicious of other people. 
Brother farmers, let us suppose a case now. Suppose you 
had a farm of fifty acres, and your title was disputed, and 
there was a farm of five thousand acres joined to you that 
belonged to a man of learning, and his title was involved 
in the same difficulty; would you not be glad to have him 
for your friend, rather than to stand alone in the dispute? 
Well, the case is the same. These lawyers, these moneyed 
men, these men of learning are all embarked in the same 
cause with us, and we must all sink or swim together. 
Shall we throw the Constitution overboard because it does 
not please us all alike? Suppose two or three of you had 
been at the pains to break up a piece of rough land and sow 
it with wheat ; would you let it lie waste because you could 
not agree what sort of a fence to make? Would it not be 
better to put up a fence that did not please everyone's 

158 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

fancy, rather than keep disputing about it until the wild 
beasts came in and devoured the crop? Some gentlemen 
say, don't be in a hurry; take time to consider. I say, 
there is a time to sow and a time to reap. We sowed 
our seed when we sent men to the Federal convention. 
Now is the time to reap the fruit of our labor. And if we 
do not do it now I am afraid we shall never have another 
opportunity." 

There spoke the common sense of the common man of 
the commonwealth. The counsel of the farmer from the 
country, joined with the resolutions of the workingmen 
from the city, carried the convention, and the Constitution 
was ratified. In the light of succeeding history who shall 
say that it was not the voice of the people speaking with 
the voice of Infinite Authority? 

The attitude of Samuel Adams, William Shepard, Jona- 
than Smith and the workingmen of Boston toward govern- 
ment is worthy of our constant emulation. They had not 
hesitated to take up arms against tyranny in the Revolu- 
tion, but having established a government of the people 
they were equally determined to defend and support it. 
They hated the usurper, whether king or parliament or mob, 
but they bowed before the duly constituted authority of 
the people. 

When the question of pardoning the convicted leaders 
of the rebellion came up Adams opposed it. "In mon- 
archies," he said, "the crime of treason and rebellion may 
admit of being pardoned or lightly punished; but the man 
who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to 
suffer death." 

We are all glad mercy prevailed and pardon was granted. 
But the calm judgment of Samuel Adams, the lover of 
liberty, "the man of the town meeting, " whose clear vision, 
taught by bitter experience, saw that all usurpation is 
tyranny, must not go unheeded now. The authority of a 

159 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

just government derived from the consent of the governed 
has back of it a power that does not fail. 

All wars bring in their trail great hardships. They ex- 
isted in the day of General Shepard. They exist now. 
Having set up a sound government in Massachusetts, hav- 
ing secured their independence, as the result of a victorious 
war, the people expected a season of easy prosperity. In 
that they were temporarily disappointed. Some rebelling 
were overthrown. The adoption of the Federal Constitu- 
tion brought relief and prosperity. Success has attended 
the establishment here of a government of the people. 

We of this day have just finished a victorious war that 
has added new glory to American arms. We are facing 
some hardships, but they are not serious. Private obliga- 
tions are not so large as to be burdensome. Taxes can be 
paid. Prosperity abounds. But the great promise of the 
future lies in the loyalty and devotion of the people to 
their own government. They are firm in the conviction 
of the fathers, that liberty is increased only by increasing 
the determination to support a government of the people, 
as established in this ancient town and defended by its 
patriotic son. 



1 60 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Introducing Former Governor McCall, Air. Ely said: A colored man was 
driving a mule, hitched to a heavily loaded wagon. A bystander said to him, 
"Sam, it looks like that mule is going to have trouble." Sam replied, " That 
all depeyids on the mule. If he tries to turn around in the shafts he certainly 
is going to have a lot of it." 

The American people are drawing a big load. They are all right if they 
don't try to turn around, if they keep going right along. I believe there are 
no reactionaries in this audience, certainly none on this program. Permit 
me to present one of the most progressive of our former governors, Samuel W. 
McCall. 

ADDRESS 
Hon. Samuel W. McCall 

Former Governor of Massachusetts 

The celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniver- 
sary of a Massachusetts town is no longer a very rare event, 
but it is still an important one. It serves to emphasize 
the antiquity of a form of government which has been 
productive of very much good and has been responsible 
largely for the prosperity of the commonwealth and for the 
popular freedom of which she has been one of the foremost 
exemplars. It marks organized government in that funda- 
mental form which comes near to the people and in the 
conduct of which they participate directly and not wholly 
through agents. As institutions go in America Westfield is 
an ancient town with its origin as an independent commun- 
ity far back in the seventeenth century and those who can 
claim her as their own may fairly indulge in pride at her 
steady and prosperous growth in all those things that tell 
for the real prosperity of a community. Above all, they 
may take pride in that fine body of citizenship, the existence 
of which in any community constitutes its first title to our 
respect. 

The admirable accounts written by Mr. Kneil and Mr. 
Stiles and the fine address by Mr. Bates at the two hun- 
dredth anniversary have rescued from oblivion the material 

11 i6i 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

facts in the history of Westfield and have placed them within 
the reach of all. I shall not attempt to repeat what they 
have so well said. It is a noble and inspiring history, full of 
interest to one who reads it, and typical of the ancient towns 
of the commonwealth at their best. I shall concern myself 
today with the general teachings of this history and with 
the lessons which it suggests for us all. 

But first it will be proper to take note of an event which 
gives to this occasion something of a dual character. 

The commemoration of this anniversary is associated with 
the dedication of the statue of Major General William Shep- 
ard who was born here and lived here all his life save when 
war or other public errands called him outside the limits of 
the town. The statue is a fine specimen of the artist's 
work and will not only be an ornament to the public square 
of the town but will commemorate a distinguished career 
and preserve the example of it for future generations. The 
celebration of the founding of the town may very well 
include this recognition of the career of William Shepard. 
Certainly in doing that undue emphasis is not given to 
militarism. It is not at all the career of a professional 
soldier to which you pay homage, but he was none the less a 
genuine soldier. He was taught the rude art of war upon 
the rough battle lines of his time, in the wilderness filled with 
Indians, upon the cold plains of Canada, and upon many a 
battlefield in our own country. In the time of Shepard's 
early life and west of the Connecticut River it was fitting 
for every man to be a soldier. England and France had for 
centuries been enemies and were upon the point of going to 
war again. The French were masters of Canada and had 
acquired great ascendency with the Indian tribes. They 
were quite ready to make use of these savage allies. It re- 
quired little instigation from the French to induce the Indian 
to contest the advance of the Englishman and otherwise to 
make trouble for him. When the new settler might return 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

to his home in the evening and find it in charred ruins and 
that the members of his family had been killed or carried off 
into captivity, it was of the first necessity that he should 
be a soldier. It is true that western Massachusetts had 
witnessed little of the hostility of the red man after King 
Philip's war, but the memory of the bloody scenes of that 
war was very vivid and served to keep the white man awake 
against a repetition of the horror. Shepard took up the 
inevitable work of the citizen of his time and was trained for 
fighting. He began as a private soldier and was in more 
than one fierce fight where his side was not successful. His 
valor, however, gained him steady promotion and he did his 
part in the winning of Canada for England. He bore an 
honorable part in the fighting in the Province of Quebec 
which had so much to do with banishing the power of France 
from North America. 

The French war was to an important extent a Massa- 
chusetts war. Her people detected the aggressive purposes 
of the French to extend their empire southward from Canada 
along the Atlantic coast. They remonstrated with the 
British government and it was due in a considerable meas- 
ure to their attitude that England took steps to defeat the 
French designs. The war was a bloody and inhuman war. 
There were Indians upon both sides although the Indians 
with the French very greatly outnumbered those with the 
British, and tomahawks and scalping knives were employed 
by the enemy with far too little restraint. In this Seven 
Years War, arduous not merely in its fighting but in the 
appalling hardships which the men were called upon to face, 
Shepard performed the work of a soldier so well that he was 
steadily advanced and reached the rank of captain. At the 
ending of the war he returned to his work as a farmer, but 
not for a long period, because the spirit of rebellion was 
growing against England. There has probably never been 
a people more sensitive to oppression than the people of 

163 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Massachusetts about the time of the revolution. Their 
example was infectious and soon inspired the entire Atlantic 
seaboard. One wonders whether any English government 
could have been so good as to keep the colonists long in 
willing submission. It was as much the ambition for 
independence as the spirit of rebellion. The spirit of liberty- 
was in the air and permeated all ranks of society. The boys 
were as rebellious as the men. There were plenty of orators 
in the country, some of them great ones, and they were not 
idle. The temper of those times would not tolerate even a 
light grievance, and the direct imposition of taxes by a 
parliament in which the colonies were without representa- 
tion was a most serious grievance. The only way in which 
such taxes could be collected was by superior force. War 
became inevitable. 

Captain Shepard had come to be the foremost citizen of 
Westfield. He was its member upon the Committee of 
Correspondence and Safety, the councils of which nurtured 
the incipient rebellion and gave it great driving force. He 
had fought under the flag of Britain in the Seven Years 
War. But he was wholly with Massachusetts. He was a 
man of deeds and not of words. His countrymen heard 
little of what he said — they saw much of what he did. 
When the news came of the fighting at Concord and Lexing- 
ton he straightway went out from Westfield in command of 
its minute-men and started for Bunker Hill and Boston. 
From that time he was again very steadily in the fighting. 
He was in camp with Washington when Boston was evacu- 
ated. He followed his leader to New York and was put in 
command of the rear guard in the celebrated retreat there 
which was one of the most masterly of Washington's 
manoeuvres. That the army was rescued with such slight 
loss from a most perilous situation was due very much to the 
heroism of the small rear guard which under the command of 
Shepard held back the British until the main body had 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



reached a safe position. He was at the battle of Saratoga; 
was with Washington in the gloomy winter at Valley 
Forge; fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, and 
Monmouth; was again under Lafayette, and bore his part 
in the final great victory at Yorktown. There were few, 
if any, men of his time who saw more real fighting and none 
who bore himself with steadier valor. When the fighting 
had been ended and our independence won he returned to 
his farm in this town. Once again he was called upon for 
military service. Just as some of the earliest settlers in 
the country would no sooner get their settlements well 
established than they would move on and found new settle- 
ments ; so the rebellion against England had no sooner been 
consummated and brought to a successful end, than some 
of the colonists at once proceeded to rebel against the gov- 
ernment they had helped set up, and there occurred what 
is known as Shays' Rebellion. Governor Bowdoin put 
Shepard in charge of the forces that dealt with that rebel- 
lion and he bore himself with courage and sanity in that 
imitation of a civil war, winning more, indeed, by his good 
sense and firmness than by fighting. After the outbreak 
had been quelled he again returned to his plough. 

The excellent accounts that have been written by your 
fellow townsmen outline with definiteness and in graphic 
fashion the fine record of William Shepard in war. He 
never became what would be called a great general but 
that was not because he was lacking in the quality that 
would make him one. Although there was much fighting, 
its character was not such as made it likely to produce 
great generals. It was too desultory and depended less 
upon the military discipline of the men than upon their 
individual bravery and their fortitude to endure privation 
and hardship. Indeed, after Washington, it is probably 
true that our revolutionary period did not produce a really 
great general, although evidence of military genius was 

165 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

shown by more than one and there was plenty of the stuff 
out of which great generals are made. If the title belonged 
to any other than Washington it belonged to Greene whose 
masterly retreat, by which he saved his Army from destruc- 
tion, must take rank as a very brilliant military achieve- 
ment. What Greene learned of war he learned while 
holding important military command. With little or no 
military training he was made a major general by Rhode 
Island at the outbreak of the war. 

Shepard did his full duty as a citizen in peace as well as 
in war. He served as an ofhcer of the town, as a member 
of the Governor's Council and of both Houses of the General 
Court, and as a member of Congress. There was nothing 
spectacular about him but he was great in simplicity and 
in those qualities which most distinguish the good citizen; 
and he achieved a rounded and noble career which you do 
well to emphasize today. And so, when you dedicate this 
statue, you provide for carrying down to future generations 
the figure of a man who did the town, the commonwealth, 
and the nation great service in war, and who, as a citizen of 
Westfield, performed his duty in peace in a way that de- 
serves permanent recognition. He may well find imitators 
far beyond the limits of the town. 

The history of Westfield is typical of that of the older 
towns of the commonwealth. It was first a part of a larger 
unit and was included under the beneficent rule of Spring- 
field. The parent town was most willing to grant the right 
of self-government to your ancestors whenever they desired 
it. It has been a tradition which survives in Springfield 
today among its people and in its organs of public opinion, 
that right of self-government in communities. But the 
government of the new town was set up under much dif- 
ficulty. It had hardly been incorporated before the war 
of King Philip broke upon the western counties. It was a 
most relentless war. The town happily escaped the fate 

1 66 



TWO HUNDRED AND F I F T I E T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 



of the parent town which was burned. Every conceivable 
kind of fiendishness and brutality known to the red man, 
who in those times was untutored in everything except 
fiendishness and brutality, was practised in that war. It 
was indeed fortunate that they were not versed in some of 
the barbaric arts that have shown themselves in warfare m 
the last half dozen years.. Westfield escaped the full fury 
of the war that fell upon Northampton and upon her other 
neighbors to the north. Very likely, had it not been for the 
stubborn resistence of the men of Northampton and of 
Turner's Falls, helped by the men of Westfield, the town 
would have been temporarily wiped out of existence. 
Westfield sought safety in a wooden wall, a device that was 
much used in those days and a portion of it was surrounded 
by palisades which gave it a precarious protection, and 
which fortunately was not put to a severe test. The end of 
King Philip's war marked the ending of any special danger 
to Westfield from the Indian. His spirit was for the time 
effectually broken and with the steady growth of the coun- 
try he gradually moved farther westward and kept upon the 
borders of civilization. 

The chief problem of the town then became one not of 
defence but of establishing itself as a community and 
developing the organs for the expression of a civil life. 
The roads of that period were marked out along Indian 
trails, some of which apparently are followed by the present 
highways. The wagon roads were practically the only 
means of local communication for the river was of little 
value as a highway and water communication was obtained 
only after carrying goods over the hard roads that led to 
the Connecticut. The chief reliance of the people for the 
carriage of freight was probably upon oxen, and it is a 
striking circumstance that the distance an ox team would 
haul its load in a day at that time was not very much less 
than the average distance traversed by freight trains upon 

167 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

some of the great railroad systems of the United States 
today. Westfield soon came to have a good position for 
trade. It was upon the road between the valley towns 
and Albany and also upon the chief road between the towns 
to the north and to the south. Prosperity came with the 
destruction of the forests and the transformation of the 
wilderness into fertile farms. 

The first dwellings were primitive affairs. The greater 
number of them were made of logs, and, as nearly every- 
body lived in a log house, it did not at that time form the 
basis for a political caste. It was reserved for a later 
period when the log cabin had almost disappeared from our 
civilization that to have been born in one conferred a 
political distinction and, indeed, in some instances, formed 
the chief argument for the elevation of candidates to the 
presidency. With the coming in of that pioneer of civil- 
ization, the sawmill, the log house gave way to the more 
modern structure built of sawed lumber. It was a house 
filled with health and comfort. Some of the houses were 
good examples of the old colonial style of architecture, of 
which some fine specimens still remain near the seaboard 
and invite favorable comparison with the more pretentious 
modern dwelling. In those days, the house was not merely 
a place for social uses and to eat and sleep in, but it was 
very emphatically a manufacturing establishment. Beer 
and soap were manufactured, cloth was spun and dyed, 
and made into clothing, and much of the repair work for 
the outdoors was carried on in the house. There was little 
time for idleness. The household work had none of the 
strain of the present day factory where fast-flying machin- 
ery chases the operative and keeps him on a perpetual 
tension. 

The ancient furniture with its simple forms was in good 
taste but what we call civilization came forward so rapidly 
that good taste could not keep up with it. The evolution 

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TWO H UNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

may be traced in the various splurgy and pretentious forms 
of furniture, reaching its climax in the haircloth variety 
which was an offence alike to good taste and comfort. 
Much more than furniture was homemade. The food was 
not hauled over great distances before it reached the table. 
The fare would be very tempting and certainly very whole- 
some today, with the liberal supply of game and fish and the 
meats that were preserved by the natural cold through the 
long winter. Tea and coffee were in far less common use 
than now, but a substitute was found, for Nature would 
have her innocent way upon the juice of the apple and 
produced a beverage much of which would be under the ban 
today on account of the prohibitory law. The great social 
center was the meeting-house, and it held a place in the 
community which made it practically the chief governing 
institution. The training of the local militia afforded a 
stirring spectacle, and the militia colonels, in uniforms 
splendid with gold lace, filled the spectators with awe and 
admiration. 

To sum up in brief compass, the citizen of the Westfield 
of one hundred years or more ago led the simple life and was 
none the worse for it. He governed himself by the sun and 
not by the clock. He was not one of those fortunate 
creatures who retire early and sleep late, but he saved all the 
daylight there was. He got his news of the outside world 
from the meager weekly newspaper and the happenings in 
the town from the neighbors. The general cares of man- 
kind troubled him but little. There was usually nothing 
to get disturbed about more exciting than a dry debate in 
Congress. He went regularly to church and prayer meeting 
and knew every item of expense that he was voting for at 
the town meetings. He was happy or miserable according 
to his temperament and if he could survive the accidents or 
the heroic remedies of that period he was apt to live to a 
great age. His was an ordered life and the world seemed to 

169 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

roll easily in its orbit. If one wishes a contrast he has only 
to turn his eyes to our own time. Each morning with 
scarcely a look about us, even at the hills from whence 
Cometh our strength, we survey the more or less remote 
parts of the globe. A distant monarchy has collapsed over 
night and is followed by a republic that will disappear be- 
fore tomorrow's sunset. The air is filled with strident 
voices preaching a new style of government discovered since 
yesterday. We now and then return to the simple life 
when the latest railroad strike compels us to walk. What 
with the world turned turtle and the sons of chaos disporting 
themselves over great spaces of the earth, with liberty a 
memory, and everywhere industrial strife, class warfare, 
instability, and unrest, it is only to the penetrating eye of 
faith that it seems clear whether we inhabit a world made 
safe for democracy or for the devil. 

But there is an aspect of this occasion which cannot be 
overlooked at a time like this and that is the place of the 
town in the general structure of our government. It lies 
at the foundation of our system and is the basic form of 
organized government that first comes in contact with the 
individual. The gradation is made easy from the individual 
who is the unit in our government up through the town and 
the state to the nation. It may well be likened to the pyra- 
mid resting upon its broad base and receding and springing 
upward to the summit which is a mere point securely sup- 
ported by the mass beneath and resting lightly upon it. 
There is another kind of government which has been very 
much in evidence in the world. It was the kind given by the 
Hohenzollern kings, by the French kings before the revolu- 
tion and such as the Stuarts tried in vain to establish in 
England. Instead of government springing from a broad 
base and pressing more lightly as it receded from the people, 
the whole mass of governmental powers was placed at the 
top and overhung and pressed heavily upon what was be- 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

neath them. Under such a system all power came from 
above and was wielded by the king or by his agents. There 
was no such thing as liberty and the privilege to do things 
came as an act of grace from the sovereign. The American 
system is the reverse of that. Power comes from below 
instead of from above — from the people instead of from a 
king. It is the aim of our system to have self-government. 
The people themselves do the things directly that come in 
contact with them. The things that are out of convenient 
reach they do through agents chosen by themselves. 

Due homage is paid to these different forms of govern- 
ment to which power is apportioned. The people are 
deeply attached to the states. Indeed, they were too much 
attached to them until war settled and perfected our struc- 
ture. They are patriotic to the nation. Their affection for 
the towns and cities in which they live is shown by lavish 
munificence and in a thousand ways. The system is ideal 
for self-government although it must be admitted that it is 
not always ideally applied. The greater government is apt 
to encroach upon the lesser with the result that there is a 
dislocation of power. And to just the extent to which that 
occurs the real participation of the people in their govern- 
ment will be lessened. Its operations will be distant and 
they will be spectators rather than actors. With the great 
mass of governmental power centralized at Washington 
there will be such an enormous detail of jurisdiction that no 
one set of governmental agents will be able to cope with it 
and there will be government by bureaus which is sure to be 
rigid and autocratic, if it does not become corrupt. With a 
system like that applying to a continent and to more than 
one hundred millions of people, self-government will be- 
come a myth, and its work will be tainted with injustice. 
One section of the union will so levy taxes that they will fall 
with especial might upon another section and public money 
will be expended in the same partial way. There are op- 

171 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

portunities of partiality enough under the present state of 
the development of our system without broadening the area 
of injustice by still further dislocating the partition of 
powers. To maintain so far as we are able the traditional 
distribution is necessary for real efficiency and is surely 
necessary to liberty. Let the central government take care 
for the common defence, regulate commerce between the 
states and deal with the subjects of general and common 
concern and let the municipal and state governments exer- 
cise the great range of powers that have long been theirs 
unchallenged. We shall thus have better government. 
More than that we shall have better citizens because there is 
no greater educating force than the practical participation 
of men in directing the affairs of their own government. 
It develops character and it gives a public-mindedness that 
can be gained in no other way. 

Thus in celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth birth 
year of this town we may well pause to do reverence to the 
basic form of our three kinds of government. Of that form 
Westfield is a happy illustration. Here life has been safe 
and property secure. Prosperity has been diffused and 
has shown itself in every walk of life. Those two beneficent 
institutions, the school and the church, have been at the 
summit of her social order. And looking forward, if she 
may see spread out before her a future that shall be of the 
texture of her past, fortunate indeed will be the people who 
shall be gathered within her gates. 

I have considered generally the place of the town in the 
government of the country, and for our country surely we 
have provided for us sufficient government with the differ- 
end kinds overlapping each other. But there still remains 
a vast and momentous space unfilled in a comprehensive 
scheme for the government of the world. There is no 
earthly force above the nations but humanity, and human- 
ity, unfortunately, as now organized, makes only a moral 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



appeal which too often falls upon deaf ears. At the top of 
our system we have the sovereign nations which for practi- 
cal purposes may be counted as less than ten and we find 
them dividing and disputing among themselves the gov- 
ernment of the world and without a common arbiter often 
clashing with each other. This disputing between nations 
over the right to govern is responsible for very much of the 
misery of mankind. Obviously a very great thing yet 
remains to be done before the world can be said to be 
properly organized for government. I do not mean by 
this that the time has come for a government by a parlia- 
ment of man and a federation of the world. The world, 
even with its proportions shrunken as now by inventions, 
is altogether too vast to be comprehended in a single com- 
munity of thought. The establishment of a world state 
to regulate with a single code of laws the thousand different 
sets of interests and the vast diversity of peoples will 
be a most ambitious project for very many years to 
come, if indeed the time shall ever come for it. Such 
a thing today would wholly destroy self-government and 
obliterate the last trace of individual freedom. Just as 
we see the national government devouring the states and 
the states the lesser authorities, so the nations would be 
eaten up by the central monster and would disappear 
except in name. 

Human nature is a pretty constant factor and is little 
likely to change, but until it shall change very greatly this 
union of the world into a single state would better remain 
a dream. What refuge such as America has always been 
would there be to which the oppressed might fly? 

Among the terrors which Gibbon painted of the world- 
wide tyranny of ancient Rome was the lack of a place of 
escape for those who were oppressed. He declared that 
the creation of a number of independent states was pro- 
ductive of the most beneficent consequences to the liberty 

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WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

of mankind. One who was oppressed by one state could 
secure a refuge in a happier clime. 

"But the empire of the Romans," said Gibbon, "filled the world; and 
when that empire fell into the hands of a single person the world became 
a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal and it was 
impossible to fly." 

We need embark upon no such mythical project as laying 
the foundations of a world state in order to join with other 
nations in underwriting the peace of the world. They 
may still live their individual lives but they must permit 
other nations to live theirs. The nations may have their 
own internal development, may perfect their own civiliza- 
tion, may even have their own peaceful expansion. We 
can establish a high court of nations; we can provide at 
once for doing away with those armaments which are 
crushing the life out of nations ; we can agree with all other 
nations to submit our differences to arbitration; we can 
have a council of conciliation. But we can dispense with 
some of the trappings under which this council may strut 
with the airs of a world state and may develop into an 
arena for playing the high politics of the world. 

A union of the nations against war will be confronted with 
difficulties enough without the sacrifice of a single attribute 
of any one of them which has shown itself a force for peace. 
The particular isolation of America and its aloofness have 
proven of the greatest value to mankind. We have more 
than once been told that the time of our isolation had 
passed and that we should be corded and bound up with the 
rest of mankind with one set of primary ambitions, pas- 
sions, and interests. Our isolation has been scornfully 
compared with that of China. It is scarcely necessary to 
point out the sophistry of such a comparison. We can no 
more compare the isolation of America with that of China 
than we can compare the two nations with each other. 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

The one is the most progressive and the other the most 
static nation in the world. It is beyond the power of the 
imagination to picture China playing the part America 
has played in the last two years. It is true we were unpre- 
pared in a military sense. We had set the world an exam- 
ple In disarmament which If it had been followed by the 
other nations would have averted the catastrophe that 
almost engulfed them all. But that we were able to arm 
on a very great scale and successfully pursue the arts of 
war we demonstrated beyond all doubt and our isolation 
backed by our power Imparted to our intervention the 
decisive quality of a final arbiter. If we shall throw away 
our isolation and become an everyday European power 
with primary Interests and points of view, time will bring 
about a new set of alliances and division of nations and in 
the event of another colossal war there will be no great 
power in reserve to save the world. When our nation was 
established there was an ideal opportunity for the develop- 
ment on this continent of a new group of political Ideas and 
Interests, but little vexed by the political divisions of the 
other hemisphere. To be wholly Isolated was impossible 
but we were measurably so and we grew to be a powerful 
nation and the center of a new world. Having just now 
demonstrated the immense advantage of this dual struc- 
ture of the world, what a demented act It would be to 
abandon it. It would be to throw away one of the fairest 
gifts Providence has ever given to man. If America enters 
a League of Nations let her enter it erect and not an evis- 
cerated America with some of her most distinctive attri- 
butes gone. Let her not put her Monroe Doctrine In the 
keeping of any council but hold fast to It as the central 
fact in her foreign policy. Let it remain what It was 
originally Intended to be, a buttress against the extension 
of monarchical Institutions upon this hemisphere. Amer- 
ica will be of far greater value to any League of Nations If 

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WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

she shall enter it shorn of none of these powers that have 
made her what she is. 

That the time is ripe for a high court of nations to adju- 
dicate their controversies with each other there can be no 
doubt. For many centuries the rivalries of nations have 
levied a frightful toll upon the youth of the world. Boys 
have been torn from their mothers and uncounted millions 
of them have been set to slaughtering each other. North- 
ern Europe has once again been made a vast graveyard. 
If we cannot be moved by the appeal that comes from the 
millions who have fallen, from the crushing debts that have 
been piled up like mountains, from the revolutions that are 
stalking the earth, then we can be moved by nothing. If 
we shall heed that appeal and give it a safe and sufficient 
answer, we shall write as the future policy of nations in the 
simplest terms in which they can be written Disarmament 
and Arbitration. 



176 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Mr. Ely said: As you know, this day was set apart for two purposes, one 
to unveil the statue of General Shepard, the other to welcome home the service 
men. It is not for me, certainly, at this late hour to say more than a word 
to the service men. Looking over the Honor Roll on the Green, I find many 
names that I cannot pronounce. In fact, I think a majority of the names are 
foreign to this Yankee town. But every Yankee loves every one of those men, 
and all I am going to say in behalf of the Town of Westfield is, that we do love 
every one of you service men, and take the greatest pride and satisfaction in 
welcoming you home, and the greatest interest in your future. 

Introducing Major-General Edwards, Mr. Ely said: When I saw the 
parade this afternoon of the service men and the women in white with the cross 
of red — all honor to them! — I felt a good deal like the little boy walking down the 
street behind another boy marching with his brother just returned from the war. 
The little boy behind crept up to the soldier, just touched him, then ran to his 
mother. With his eyes dilated, full of pride, his face all aglow, trembling all 
over with excitement, he said, " Mother, I have touched a soldier." With such 
feelings I present a soldier, a general, a major-general of the United States 
Army, General Clarence R. Edwards. 

ADDRESS 

Major-General Clarence R. Edwards, U.S.A. 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentleman of Westfield and Fellow 
Yanks: 

The other day I visited a shell-shock hospital, and I saw 
a fine lad, one of my men, walking along in a happy, debo- 
nair way, and he had a wheelbarrow upside down. Says I, 
"Hold on, my lad! That is wrong. Turn it up." He 
said, "Not on your life, sir! I did it that way yesterday 
and they filled it full of bricks." 

So the happiest announcement that I can make to you at 
this time is to say to you that I will keep the wheelbarrow 
upside down, and let you out soon, especially as it is going 
to be my great opportunity to talk again to these lads 
tonight. But there are one or two thoughts. 

I don't know which end I am on, the unveiling of this 
monument or the welcoming home of these lads. My tradi- 

12 177 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

tion has been such that it is a renewal of my youth to stand 
here and get these wonderful hypodermic doses of New Eng- 
land and this brilliant oratory, and the only new thing in it 
that I have seen is the expertness with the apple in former 
days. And when we talk about getting our just powers 
from the governed, I think it is the one hope that the soldier 
has, for those things that you did to him in our absence in 
France, to rely on your expertness with the apple this next 
winter. As far as I can learn, it is the only thing that our 
attorney-general says is not vinous, and therefore within 
the law. 

Coming from Springfield today, driving up here, my 
earliest recollection was of my father telling me how he 
refused to smoke, so that he could buy a horse and drive 
about, and how often he used to drive, as a lad, to West- 
field. Naturally. It is the home of my people. And I 
take pride in the wonderful record of Major-General Oliver 
Edwards. 

My earliest recollection as a child, at a large dinner given 
by my mother, was the wonderful tribute that Sheridan 
paid to him for his capture of Winchester, being in com- 
mand. I think that tribute made me take the veil of 
poverty and go into the Army. 

So it goes without saying that I should participate with 
pleasure in that I had the great good fortune to command 
Yanks and to know what was their tradition. And I was 
so reminded of it here, when these lads of mine, these YD 
men, with their band, and those women went by, — which 
to my mind was the feature of the parade, — gently bred 
women, with their eyes up in the clouds, where I used to 
tell my lads to look, — sopping wet. And then as they went 
by the famous battle hymn of the 26th Division was played 
to march them past. 

These lads of the 104th at Neuf chateau, as they came by 
in review, the colonel, knowing how partial I was to that 

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TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

air, — we were the first to take it as our own, — had a card 
with those wonderful words on it, and after the review the 
regiment of the 104th of which this is a component part 
formed in four sides of a square, with the band in the mid- 
dle, and they sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic as 
their own. 

I was riding a thoroughbred horse and I galloped up 
there and I said, "Let that ring in your hearts, and make 
you think of your home, and there is one word that will tell 
what I expect you to do to the boche." And a cheer went 
up, and my horse nearly turned a somersault. These lads 
will recall it. 

We went in immediately to the fight, and this 104th of 
yours, that hadn't got even the baptism of fire, the first 
desperate smash was theirs, and when the boche got on the 
left of them, and our right fell back, they came in his rear. 
Many of these men said that the ring was in their heart, 
and no ring on earth will make men fight so if they learn to 
sing that Battle Hymn of the Republic. 

At the end they got pretty tired, and the boche got well 
behind them. Blood and sinew were bound to give way. 
And what did your lads from Springfield and Westfield do, 
but charge to the front, singing, "Hail! Hail! The gang's 
all here! " And then some sergeant would say, " I will have 
men left to charge back again." And they fought for three 
days, from the loth of April to the 13th, and didn't lose 
one foot of ground. And your regiment from this part of 
the country was decorated, the first one in the American 
Army, with the croix de guerre. 

Now, one word about the psychology of the American 
soldier. He is a queer animal or he is a delicate piece of 
machinery, whichever you want to call him. You can't 
make a Tommy out of him. I wish I had time to tell you 
why, and of those that tried it. You can't make a French- 
man out of him, or an Italian. And God knows you don't 

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WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

want to make a boche out of him. But he has got elements 
that in peace times we often think are detriments. In 
other words, you know that a lad of sixteen years of age 
knows much more than his father, and a girl of much more 
tender years can't be taught by her mother. But when war 
comes along and bullets prevail, and men go up against 
blood and iron, they are quite controlling forces. And all 
that it is necessary to do — and I can prove it because I had 
a lot of thirty thousand green men, whom I knew had to go 
against the best army in this world, — or that thought they 
were, — but they were boche, and I knew it. 

I came home one day to my staff after they had taken four 
of my best boys away, and I said, "There is only one 
thing you have got to do with those Yanks, and you have 
got them." They said, "How?" Said I, "Tell them 
what you want of them, and why, and pat them on the 
back, and I believe there is a certain kind of infernal region 
that they will go through for you. " 

Literally that is what I did. These men knew I believed 
in them. So I averred. And then you may epitomize a 
few rules, which my forty years of service have told me are 
all that is necessary to do with the American soldier. 

First, show him that you are interested in him, — and 
you can't fool him. Second, show him that you are trying 
to be fair, — and he will forgive you your errors. Com- 
mend an American whenever you may, and condemn him 
when you must, and keep him right up to the line. And 
never give an American false praise, and when possible, don't 
lower his self respect. And that American will go to hell for 
you, with a smile on his face, and never count the cost. 

Trained like that, he is the finest soldier of any land in 
the world. And it was so proved abroad. There were 
great, great lessons to learn with the American Divisions. 
And I speak of the Yankee Division as but typical of the 
others. And it is all a question of basic citizenship. 

1 80 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

A good soldier, — what is he? A sound mind and sound 
body, a man who appreciates the dignity of labor, the 
happiness of industry, the benefits of our institutions, the 
point of view of his fellow, who can control himself, and 
knows how to shoot. That is a soldier, and that is a citi- 
zen. And nothing but the basic qualities of citizenship 
and the capitalization of our traditions did those impossible 
things that were 60 per cent better than any soldier had a 
right to dream that they could do. And that is the Ameri- 
can soldier. 

It is that about these lads. I used to go up and down 
through New England to these "Welcome Homes" before 
the YD men came, and I said, "You will find the men so 
vastly improved that you have mathematically got to say 
they are two or three hundred per cent regenerated." 
There is no question about it. They are going to exercise 
the franchise, as these Civil War veterans. And my 
uncle and others used to tell us that it was the best elector- 
ate they had ever seen. 

There is one thing on the side though. And all my 
ancestors were in the Civil War. These Civil War veterans 
were tougher than we were. They were sturdier. They 
stood it for four years, and we one. And, confidentially, I 
believe that they were morally tougher. In other words, 
they didn't have to have repressive laws. They weren't told 
they couldn't do anything, as are we. 

And I believe this great outburst of the nation, sending 
these delightful women, and keeping us within bounds, and 
all those ministers, was due in some way to some act of 
these Civil War veterans, different from us. I hate to say 
that we were wickeder, but war makes men, and up and 
down through New England I have had mayors and 
selectmen come to me and say, "What on earth did you 
do to those men? I sent you a lot, six or seven that God or 
man could do nothing with. They were bad actors. I 

i8i 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

was glad to have them go. And they come back here, have 
gone to work, many of them decorated, and swearing by 
you. What did you do?" Said I, "Nothing on earth." 

When you put a lot of men up for ten months, expecting 
to die every day of their lives, those men think they have 
been nearer to their God than they have been since they 
left their mothers' knees. A bunch of machine gun nests 
will produce more automatic praying than any altars I 
have ever seen. 

And then let them know that you believe in them, and 
if there is anything good in a man or in tradition it comes 
out, as it has come out in these men. I will say about this 
desperate series of problems that face this nation, that 
they are your solution, under the guidance of these Civil 
War men, in the organizations they make. I would rather 
have — and I know them intimately and speak of them as 
typical of the rest — those forty thousand YD men write 
the laws for my family than any lot of men I have ever seen. 

So I think you will get sanity. I think you will get men 
who have reached man's estate. I think you will find a 
lot of men who have seen the futility of schisms and fads 
and panaceas, who have seen the institutions of our Allies 
and of the boche, who have learned the benefit of our own 
institutions and are determined to keep them sacred. God 
pity the soap box assassin that gets up and preaches destruc- 
tion of government if any of these lads are around. They 
will muss him up. 

Now, let me read you the constitution that I picked up 
from my table this morning, of the American Legion, that 
they have evolved themselves in the first meeting. Perhaps 
you have all heard it. The American Legion's spirit and 
purpose is reflected in the preamble to its constitution, 
which reads: 

"For God and country we associate ourselves together for the following 
purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States 

182 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one 
hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of 
our associations in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual 
obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy 
of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; 
to promote peace and good-will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to 
posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; and to con- 
secrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual help- 
fulness." 

I congratulate you upon being kin of their kin and blood 
of their blood, and I will tell you — and I know it — that 
the blood of New England has not attenuated. 



At the conclusion of Major-General Edwards' address, 
the audience of more than fifteen hundred people rose and 
applauded with great enthusiasm, while the two bands, 
seated in the gallery, one on each side of the platform, 
played the "Commandery March" followed by "The 
Star Spangled Banner." This completed the program of 
the afternoon, except for the service men, to whom a 
"Welcome Home" was extended through the following 
committee : 



183 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



WELCOME HOME TO SERVICE MEN OF THE 
LATE WAR 

COMMITTEE 
Rev. Clement E. Holmes, Chairman 

Percy N. Hall William C. Whole an 

Joseph A. Kenyon George Jachym 

Daniel F. Doherty Emil Motak 

Immediately after the parade was dismissed in front of 
the Town Hall, the service men were transported to Woro- 
noco Park, for the clambake and program of field-sports. 

The clambake went off according to schedule with 
clams, lobster, chicken, corn and other good things to eat; 
but sports were out of the question. All hope of having 
that Army and Navy ball game, on which the returned 
civilians had counted, was abandoned; for even had the 
clouds cleared away, the diamond at the race- track would 
have had the appearance of the rain-soaked trenches at 
Chateau Thierry, and would have been altogether too 
muddy for any kind of game. 

The men were served in the Park Pavilion and as a 
crowning feature, there was an impromptu address by 
General Edwards. After leaving the church where the 
dedication exercises were held, he, with his personal aide, 
Major Hyatt, was driven to Woronoco Park, where a 
rousing reception awaited him. He gave the men a heart- 
to-heart talk and advised everyone of them to join the 
Legion. 

There were also remarks by Rev. Clement E. Holmes 
and District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. 

Edward G. Clark gave out one hundred copies of the 
volume, " Westfield in the World War," for the preparation 
of which a part of the appropriation had been used. 

184 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



DANCING ON THE GREEN 

Although twice postponed because of inclement weather, 
the community dancing and carnival feature of the town's 
250th Anniversary Celebration took place on Thursday, 
September 4, 1919, and lost nothing in enthusiasm nor in 
anticipated crowds. 

As a social event it was the greatest of its kind that the 
town has ever seen. Westfield's thousands of residents 
and those of the attendants at the anniversary celebration 
who had not returned home, were joined by large delega- 
tions of visitors from out of town. They poured in by 
means of auto and trolley and it was estimated that there 
were 20,000 persons present. A crowded dance-surface 
was the result, but the enormous number was well handled. 
All during the program, traffic was eliminated from the 
Green. Detour arrangements were made for the autoists 
and some of the streets leading into the square were 
reserved for parking purposes. 

The green was brilliantly lighted for the reception of the 
guests. In addition to the natural illumination furnished 
by the moon, there were arc-lights, colored spot-lights, 
incandescent lights hidden in Japanese lanterns, clusters of 
lights and multi-colored incandescent globes, all of which 
poured forth their rays on the dance-surface. 

Preceding the dance program, there were two band 
concerts with the Westfield Band and Short's Band alter- 
nating. The latter was located in front of the Hampden 
National Bank on Main Street, while the other was placed 
at the south end of the Green. 

A generous portion of the esthetic dances, which were to 
have been given at the Community Picnic under the direc- 
tion of Miss Florence Barker, were woven into the opening 

185 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

numbers of the program. There was first a military drill 
by the following group : 

Beatrice Bettinger Elizabeth Rooney 

Adeline Warner Sylvia Goodman 

Mary Coroner Marion Phillips 

Madeline Davison Floris Degere 

Mary Crane Phyllis Cooley 

Louise McMahon Virginia Cosby 

Mary Moseley Elizabeth Barnes 

Hannah Goodman Gertrude Finnell 

Betty Weller Laura Junior 
Marguerite Lane 

Miss Gertrude Finnell in a special toe-dance number, 
"The Snow Queen," won much applause. A suite of 
interpretive dances, the first part "Night and Storm" 
given by Miss Vesta Gannett, and the second part "Dawn" 
by Miss Marjorie MacWorthy, also received much applause 
from the vast assemblage. Following these an Irish lilt by 
Miss Floris Degere and Miss Gertrude Finnell was excel- 
lently given. 

Another dance, "School Days," represented the reopen- 
ing of school after the summer vacation. Those who took 
part caused much amusement by their antics. They were : 

Mildred Barnes Olive Landry 

Marion Phillips Floris Degere 

Lorna Bettinger Hannah Goodman 

Adelaide Wall Dorothy Mulcahy 

Mary Rooney Gertrude Finnell 

Alice O'Brien Marion Holcomb 
Mary Moseley 

The closing number of the special program was the 
stately minuet, given by a group of sixteen young women. 
Always admirable, this old-time dance was especially 
beautiful in the unusual setting, and proved an appropriate 
ending to a most charming entertainment. 

1 86 



bll 




wi^^ 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

The partners in the minuet were as follows : 

Laura Junior and Frances Manning 
Rena Manning and Barbara Hedges 
Marjorie MacWorthy and Zilpah Meyer 
Alfreda Mayor and Vesta Gannett 
Ruth Harden and Ruth Wood 
Catherine Wesson and Maude Hilmuth 
Marion Brown and Mildred Beals 
Ruth Beals and Ruth Taylor 

After the minuet, favors were distributed by the enter- 
tainment committee. There were carnival hats, confetti 
and paper serpentines in abundance. Then came the 
grand march consisting of 125 couples. Preceding Short's 
Band was Frederick Goodwin, chairman of the Entertain- 
ment Committee, with Miss Florence Barker. Following 
the band came those who took part in the special dances, 
in costume. Morrell H. Moore, chairman of the Board of 
Selectmen, and his niece. Miss Mildred Cleveland, led the 
division of townspeople, and after marching around the 
Green everyone joined in a one-step, the first of the twenty- 
four dance numbers in which anyone was at liberty to 
participate. 



187 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



From The Valley Echo of September 5, 191Q 
AN APPRECIATION 
Editor of Valley Echo: 

As a descendant of one of the old families of Westfield, 
I feel that I must in some small way express my apprecia- 
tion of the pleasure received from a visit to your town dur- 
ing the 250th Anniversary Celebration. 

The courtesy extended to all was generous, spontaneous 
and quiet and its spirit was felt everywhere. 

The pageant was a perfect success, the setting excellently 
chosen and the handling of a great crowd could not have 
been better. The business-like parking of automobiles 
could have given good points to the traffic police in large 
cities. The history of the town as passed in review before 
us, revealed the hardships and courage of the pioneers. 
The costumes were particularly interesting to us as we had 
never seen so many well preserved clothes of that period 
in one collection. 

The Hostess House, the Industrial Exhibit and the mark- 
ing of historic houses, with the beautiful decorations on 
every side, impressed us with the community spirit and 
exhaustive labor entailed. 

As we left the historic town on our return home it was 
with a feeling of pride and gratitude because of our an- 
cestry from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Radix. 

(Mrs. William A. Root, Bennington, Vt.) 



APPENDIX 

REMINISCENT SKETCHES 

1869-1919 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



To Present and Former Residents of Westfield: 

Have you Westfield memories which should be preserved? Do you know 
some good stories which should not be lost? Do you want to pay tribute 
to the men and women who have directed the life of this community 
during the past fifty years? The committee having charge of the publica- 
tion of the official record of the 250th anniversary celebration of the town, 
would be glad to add some pages of reminiscence which may throw a 
stronger light upon the Westfield of the last half century, and they there- 
fore make this public appeal for interesting material. The best part of 
the book published in 1870 recording the celebration of the previous year, 
is the appendix which contains a series of "Pictures of Westfield as it was" 
from the pen of the Hon. William G. Bates. No one among us today 
has the reputation of "Squire Bates" for good story telling, but if many 
unite their efforts, we may be able to gather enough of the intimate and 
personal to give real flavor to the forthcoming book. The editors will of 
course be forced to use their own judgment in accepting and rejecting 
material and in its arrangement, but will welcome with an open and hos- 
pitable mind any contributions which may be offered. Please give this 
serious thought and send the results before January 1st to 



&....^^.. ^ . TS.^^ 



54 Court Street, 
Westfield, Mass. 



191 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



THE ROSE JAR 

Philip Richards Dunbar 

Ah, Westfield — Mother! How shall we, 

In some rapt instant, haply fall 
Fair on the hidden spring, and free 

The secret chamber in the wall 

And set the world at just the slant, 

With philtre loosed from some old vial, 

To conjure back the jubilant 

Young hours when dawn shone on the dial? 

In vain with voice dismayed to plead 
" Sesame ! open !" The door obeys 

No more, nor yields the paths that lead 
Full view on vanished yesterdays. 

Take then in lieu this dusty jar, 
With faded rose leaves all suffused. 

In whose faint breathing still there are 
Dear ghosts of days and ways we used. 

Here all your house unheeded dwells. 
Till hint of haunting sweet beguiles 

The olden mood once more and tells 
The chronicle of tears and smiles. 

Here drowses whispered eloquence. 

Quenched with the sparks of old desires, 

And passions muse that once were tense 
And vibrant as Aeolian wires. 

Here sleep those eager lives that sang 
The brooding truth in everything. 

Kindled a new surprise, and rang 

Like trumpets through rude trafficking. 

192 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Here dreamless rest the wistful hands, 
Sceptered with pity, ease-denied — 

Whose love the child half understands — 
And wept by all the countryside. 

The medleyed trace of nameless feet. 
That chaflfered in the market-place. 

The simple scene that tricked the street, 
The gradual silences erase. 

So safe, so sure, and held so fast! 

We said "They never will depart." 
Time touches all with change; at last 

Love hoards their fragrance in the heart. 

Go with us. Azure light above 

The western hill lures on. We crave 

To the trail's end the mother-love 
You lavished on the lives you gave. 



193 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

PEN SKETCH OF WESTFIELD IN 1919 
George W. Searle 

Although Westfield has grown to be the second largest town in the com- 
monwealth, with a population of about 20,000, and has kept pace with 
the numerous changes that modern communities have introduced, she has 
never lost faith in the benefit to be derived from the older fashioned but 
substantial methods of our sturdy founders, and such of these methods 
and ideas as can be moulded to comply with present day conditions are 
retained and their value appreciated. While the population has changed 
in its character, due to the influx of immigrants from European countries, 
mainly Russia and Austria, while many new industries have sprung up 
and grown to large proportions we have many times had reason to feel 
that we are built on a firm and sturdy foundation laid by our forefathers 
and we give due credit to them, their judgment and their foresight. 

In 1915 the population was 18,411 and it is generally considered that 
today we have neared the 20,000 mark. At least 5,000 and probably more 
are Poles, Slavs, Lithuanians, Bohemians and Hungarians, with many 
Italians and Spaniards. The first comers from these central Euro pen 
countries arrived about thirty years ago and have furnished much of the 
labor in our factories and on our farms. Many of these people live in the 
Meadow Street section although others are south of Noble Street near 
the bicycle factory of the Westfield Manufacturing Company and many 
are scattered about town. They are an industrious, frugal element of our 
population and are being rapidly assimilated, building their own homes 
and taking advantage of our naturalization laws to become citizens. 

In spite of many efTorts to bring about a change by those who feel that 
the name "city" carries greater prestige, the town form of government 
has been retained. Evening town meetings are held and are often at- 
tended by from 800 to 1,000 voters, probably the largest legislative body 
in the United States. At the present time a committee is investigating 
the desirability of a changed form of government as there is a belief in 
many quarters that the large town meetings of the present day are not de- 
sirable or conducive to the best government. All of our voting is done at 
the Town Hall, there being but one precinct. Three thousand voters are 
registered, it being said to be the largest voting precinct in Massachusetts. 
The present valuation of the town is over $13,500,000. The town owns the 
municipal water plant valued at over $600,000, on which there is but 
$25,000 indebtedness. Two systems of supply are operated at Mont- 

194 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



gomery and Granville and on the latter watershed is an opportunity to 
construct a storage system good for more than fifty years. The use of 
water is unlimited, no domestic services being metered. The water is of 
excellent quality and rates are lower than the average. 

Another asset of the town is the Municipal Gas and Electric Plant 
which is inventoried at over $350,000. This was purchased by the town in 
1899. Both water gas and coal gas sets are installed and electric current 
is purchased from the Turners Falls Power and Electric Company, since 
this spring. Besides the house and street lighting nearly all of the manu- 
facturing plants purchase power from the municipal plant. Much favor- 
able comment is caused by the town's surface and sanitary sewerage 
systems costing several hundred thousand dollars and the extent of our 
excellent sidewalks. Nearly all of the roads in the center of the town 
are surfaced and compare to our advantage with the highways of other 
cities and towns. 

Interest in education has always been keen and the annual expenditure 
for schools exceeds $125,000. There are twenty school buildings in town 
in addition to the Boys' Trade School where metal working courses are 
taught, and the State Normal School, a training school conducted by the 
commonwealth for training teachers. Recently when it seemed that the 
school buildings were being crowded the town erected within a period of 
three years three large and one small building, at an expense of about 
$275,000. Schools have not been neglected despite financial stress, and 
the standard of Westfield schools is second to none. 

The Fire Department is operated by permanent firemen assisted by call 
men and the department is completely motorized, the last horse-drawn 
apparatus having been discarded about four years ago. 

The town possesses an excellent public library, the Westfield Atheneum, 
conveniently located at the corner of Elm and Court Streets. Through 
the generosity of the late Milton B. Whitney, for many years president of 
the institution, a new and modern library building will soon be erected, 
Mr. Whitney having left bequests for this purpose. Noble Hospital and 
the Keep Memorial Building, the contagious building of the hospital, 
located on a high and sightly spot on West Silver Street cared for nearly 
1,200 patients last year and proves daily its value to the community. 
Although not as heavily endowed as many institutions of a similar nature, 
it has rendered sterling service and won its way into the hearts of all who 
have learned of its great work. Present and past residents of the town re- 
sponded so generously to the appeal made in the autumn of 191 8 for the 
hospital that the institution is at this writing undergoing extensive repairs 
and enlargement. 



195 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



A Federal building erected in 191 3 and containing the Post-Office faces 
the Green of which more than passing mention should be made. This at- 
tractive space has been retained as a park and is a most picturesque spot. 
More than seventy years ago a number of individuals each planted an elm 
tree on the Green. They never knew how much their act of thoughtfulness 
beautified the town in later generations for this shady resting place in the 
center of business activities could not be purchased for any sum. Three 
churches, the Library, High School and Town Hall and Post Office face 
the Green and it is planned that as more pretentious municipal buildings 
are erected in future years that they be located here where a wonderful 
natural setting exists for a municipal group. 

The streets of the town are many of them tree-lined and everywhere 
there are modest homes owned in large measure by their occupants. 
Westfield is also provided with recreational centers. The Whitney Public 
Playground, the gift of the late M. B. Whitney, is located on the south 
side of the river north of the dike. The town also boasts a Country Club 
with a good nine hole golf course, tennis courts and a charming clubhouse 
situated in the western part of the town overlooking the Russell Road 
and the Westfield River. The view from the broad piazza of the clubhouse 
is unexcelled in this section. The property is owned by the club and is 
across the road from the property of the late Ralph D. Gillett, used with 
his permission as the first golf course in Westfield. 

The town has two newspapers, The Westfield Evening Journal, a daily 
paper issued in the afternoon, and a weekly. The Valley Echo. 

A spacious new theater, "The Strand" was recently erected on Church 
Street and "The New Nickel" is located on Elm Street, near Bartlett. 

The town is also fortunate in possessing unusually modern and attrac- 
tive hotels. In fact, no town of the size of Westfield is as fortunate in 
this respect. Westfield hotels are well known for their cordial treatment 
of guests and homelike atmosphere. 

Of churches there are two Congregational Churches, two Methodist 
Churches and Baptist, Episcopal, Adventist and German Lutheran, 
besides the Wyben Chapel where religious services for that community 
are held, and five Roman Catholic Churches. 

Westfield is a manufacturing community. While she boasts many 
farms and produces a quantity of agricultural products and tobacco, man- 
ufacturing is, nevertheless, the backbone of the town. Whips, radiators 
and bicycles are the chief articles produced, but there are many other man- 
ufactured articles, the output of factories of large or smaller proportions. 
In fact, we are most fortunate in having within our midst a large variety 
of industries. As a result the employment ofTered has not been seasonal 



196 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



and a depression in one line of business has not affected the entire town. 
For many years we have claimed the title of the "Whip City" from the 
fact that here are manufactured 95 per cent of the whips used in the 
world, over 20,000,000 being turned out annually. The tendency in the 
whip business has been to eliminate many of the smaller concerns and 
concentrate the business in the larger factories. As for years past West- 
field retains its pre-eminence and doubtless to the end of its day will be 
the "Whip City." The radiator and boiler business of the H. B. Smith 
Company, started in Westfield and always located here, has grown to 
large proportions. The company occupies two large plants, one on each 
side of the river, and employs several hundred workmen, many of whom 
are skilled mechanics. Radiators and boilers are shipped to every part 
of the world and the success of the concern has entered into and ma- 
terially assisted in the steady growth and prosperity of the town. From 
the number of employees and the amount of its payroll the Smith Company 
is the largest concern in the town. Many years ago when bicycle riding 
was a craze the Lozier Manufacturing Company established a large factory 
in Westfield for the manufacture of bicycles. Later this became a branch 
of the long established Pope Manufacturing Company and afterward the 
business fell into the hands of the Westfield Manufacturing Company. 
As the bicycle became less popular it grew apparent that machines will al- 
ways be used for business convenience as well as pleasure. The Westfield 
Manufacturing Company has succeeded in acquiring a large share of this 
staple business and has been most successful. Motorcycles also are manu- 
factured and during the war much of the plant was utilized for the manu- 
facture of shells, and large additions were constructed. With the end of 
hostilities the bicycle business was resumed on a large scale and the 
energetic modern methods of the owners are making a success of this large 
industry. The factory is located in the southeast part of the town. 
While the cigar business does not reach its proportions of former days it is 
still one of the town's important industries and a number of manufacturers 
are turning out a smoke of the highest quality. Japanese linen paper, 
manufactured by Crane Brothers, is a product sent far and wide. The mill 
is one of Westfield's established institutions. Among the most successful 
and largest of the manufacturing plants is the Foster Machine Company, 
where winding machines are made. Large additions have been recently 
constructed and the working force increased. The factory on South Broad 
Street adjoins the plant of the W. Warren Thread Works, another of the 
large industries of the town, where cotton yarn is made into a high quality 
of thread. Other products manufactured in Westfield include: paper, 
casket hardware, warm air heaters, bricks, textile machinery, church organs, 



197 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

carriages, brushes, awnings, ink pads and stamps, cutlery, lithographing, 
soft drinks, automobile bodies, paper and cigar boxes and other articles. 
Trap-rock and marble are also quarried here. 

The town boasts a large number of modern up-to-date stores with com- 
plete lines. The town is a trading center for a number of surrounding 
communities and the trolley facilities and increased use of automobiles 
bring many outsiders here to trade. 

No article, however brief, on Westfield is complete without some refer- 
ence to Westfield as the " Pure Food Town" for as such it has been adver- 
tised and won fame throughout the United States. The thing started in 
a casual way with no idea that it would develop the importance which 
it attained. It all began in a little chemical laboratory in the Westfield 
State Normal School, presided over by Prof. Lewis B. Allyn, "The Little 
Gray Man." Just prior to then Dr. Wiley, chief chemist for the United 
States government was making a stand against the use of alum, coal tar 
dyes and benzoate of soda in food products. The matter had previously 
interested Professor Allyn, who contended that these chemicals in food 
stuffs were dangerous to the health of the consumer when used in large 
quantities or continuously. 

Professor Allyn conducted a most interesting set of experiments among 
his classes and the interest of the teachers and pupils began to spread about 
town. Later it grew to such an extent that the Town of Westfield set up 
its own food standards and local grocers and provision dealers signed an 
agreement to give preference to foodstuff not containing the chemicals in 
question. Naturally this attracted outside interest for the sales of certain 
lines of goods fell off and the manufacturers naturally investigated. Until 
then the agitation had been purely local but it began to spread. 
Newspapers and magazines all over the country interested themselves in 
the matter and naturally the food manufacturers whose output came within 
the Westfield Standard advertised that fact. Professor Allyn became a 
contributor to various national magazines. Other newspapers and 
magazines gave space to the controversy until the Westfield Standard 
was known in every state in the union. It is a significant fact that the 
standards set by Westfield have from time to time been adopted by the 
government. 



198 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



BANK STATEMENTS 

1869 AND I919 

The following bank statements indicate the material development of 
Westfield during the past fifty years: 

Statement of the Condition of the Hampden National Bank of 
Westfield, October 9, 1869 

resources 

Loans and Discounts 

Overdrafts 

U. S. Bonds to secure circulation 

U. S. Bonds and Securities on hand .... 
Other Stocks, Bonds and Mortgages .... 
Due from Redeeming and Reserve Agents . 

Due from other National Banks 

Due from other Banks and Bankers 

Banking House 

Cash Items (including stamps) 

Bills of other National Banks 

Fractional Currency (including nickels) 

Specie 

Legal Tender Notes 



Total 



liabilities 



Capital Stock paid in 

Surplus Fund 

Profit and Loss 

National Bank Circulation outstanding. 
State Bank Circulation outstanding 

Individual Deposits 

Due to National Banks 



$98,489.93 


152.56 


151,000.00 


64,000 . 00 


20,000 . 00 


65,720.91 


2,101.90 


369 -73 


8,000.00 


45-12 


149.00 


192.72 


7.00 


21,665.00 


$431,893.87 


$150,000.00 


53,570 


50 


639 


59 


134.983 


00 


4.765 


00 


84,928 


91 


3,006 


87 



Total $431,893.87 

199 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



Statement of Condition at Close of Business September 12, 1919 

resources 

Loans and Discounts $1,075,094.43 

Bonds and Stocks 382,131.66 

Banking House 30,000.00 

Cash and Due from Banks 257,510.45 

Due from U. S. Treasury 2,500.00 

Overdrafts 278.67 

Due on Victory Loan Subscriptions 37,430.00 

Other Assets 11.923.59 

Total • $1,796,868.80 

LIABILITIES 

Capital Stock $150,000.00 

Surplus and Profits 195,368.18 

Circulation 50,000.00 

Deposits 1,011,338.98 

Bills Payable 383,169.14 

Other Liabilities 6,992 . 50 

Total $1,796,868.80 

Statement of the Condition of the First National Bank of 
Westfield, October 9, 1869 

resources 

Loans and Discounts $182,705.59 

Overdrafts 4.23 

U. S. Bonds to secure circulation 250,000.00 

U. S. Bonds and Securities on hand 135,200.00 

Due from Redeeming and Reserve Agents 23,663 . 07 

Due from other National Banks 2,290.00 

Banking House 6,500.00 

Current Expenses 1,104.03 

Taxes Paid 2,253 . 57 

Premiums 36.00 

Cash Items (including stamps) 916.04 

Bills of other National Banks 574-00 

Fractional Currency (including nickels) 565.72 

Legal Tender Notes 21,605.00 

Total $627,417.25 

200 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



LIABILITIES 

Capital Stock paid in $250,000.00 

Surplus Fund 50,000.00 

Discount $5,141.19 

Exchanges 3,922.10 

Interest 4,869.64 

Profit and Loss 22.20 13.955-13 

National Bank circulation outstanding 224,513.00 

State Bank circulation outstanding 3,345.00 

Individual Deposits 71,047.39 

Due to National Banks 6,562.48 

Due to other Banks and Bankers 7,994.25 

Total $627,417.25 

Statement of Condition at Close of Business September 12, 1919 

resources 

United States Bonds $250,000.00 

Liberty Loan Bonds 200,800.00 

Loans and Discounts 1,114,715.43 

Due from U. S. Treasury 12,500.00 

Stocks and Bonds 7,859.98 

Stock in Federal Reserve Bank 10,500.00 

Banking House 35,000.00 

Other Real Estate 12,500.00 

Cash and Due from Banks 309,595.00 

Total $1,953,470.41 

I 

LIABILITIES 

Capital Stock $250,000.00 

Surplus and Profits 339.882.39 

Circulation 250,000.00 

Deposits 1,113,588.02 

Total $1,953,470.41 



201 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



Statement of the Condition of the VVestfield Savings Bank, 
January i, 1869 

liabilities 

Due depositors $280,955 . 36 

Surplus 1,261.21 

Interest 1,114.53 

Collateral account 115.00 

Total $283,446.10 

RESOURCES 

Investment in (Wfd) First National Bank Stock . . . $5,800.00 

" " " Hampden " " "... 200.00 

" " (Northampton) Hampshire Co. Stock . . 3,000.00 

" U. S. 5/20's 1862 18,000.00 

" " " " 1865 22,500.00 

" " " " 1867 75,200.00 

" " Sixes of 1881 9,600.00 

Loans on Public Funds 24,250.00 

Loans on Bank Stock 4,000 . 00 

Loans on Real Estate 61,160.00 

Loans on Personal Security 43,600.00 

Profit and Loss account 2,027.37 

Expense account 298.90 

Cash deposited in First National Bank 13,809.83 

Total $283,446.10 

Statement of the Condition at Close of Business, September 30, 

1919 

LIABILITIES 

Deposits $4,384,488.45 

Guarantee Fund 214,432.32 

Profit and Loss 223,711.89 

Interest 17,014.95 

Due on Uncompleted Loan 2,500.00 

Deposits received on Liberty Bonds 25,083.16 

Total $4,867,230.77 

202 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



ASSETS 

Loans on Real Estate $2,782,409.30 

Loans on Personal Security 301,829.13 

Loans on Bank Stock 3,500.00 

Loans on Bank Books 7.431-57 

U. S. Liberty Bonds 487,168.54 

Railroad Bonds 807,986.53 

Municipal Bonds 13,000.00 

Street Railway Bonds 222,117.50 

American Tel. and Tel. Bonds 78,407.50 

Bank Stock 71,700.00 

Expense Account 2,102.27 

Real Estate by Foreclosure 1 a A 

Other Assets, Securities Acquired j V. 43 • 4 

Deposits in Banks on interest 34,329.71 

Deposits in Banks not on interest 40,589.88 

Cash on hand 5,013.20 



Total $4,867,230.77 

Statement of Condition of the Woronoco Savings Bank, 
October 31, 1871 

liabilities 

Deposits $65,220.95 

Interest 36.68 

Total $65,257.63 

assets 

Loan on Personal Security $19,250.00 

Loans on Mortgage Security 23,350.00 

Bank Stock 680 . 00 

Government Bonds 2,400.00 

Deposit in Hampden National Bank 19.577-63 

Total $65,257.63 



203 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



Statement of Condition at the Close of Business, October 31, 191 9 

liabilities 

Deposits $3,264,992.73 

Guarantee Fund 158,757.44 

Profit and Loss 105,781.48 

Other Liabilities 3,375-40 

Liberty Bond Safe Deposit Account 112,100.00 

Liberty Bond Deposit Account, 3rd and 4th .... 16,331.00 

Liberty Bond Deposit Account, 5th 10,284.00 

Total $3,671,622.05 

ASSETS 

Public Funds $57,025.00 

Railroad Bonds and Notes 627,430.00 

Street Railway Bonds 215,456.25 

Boston Terminal Bonds 9,300.00 

American Tel. and Tel. Bonds 57,462.50 

National Bank and Trust Company Stocks .... 6,000.00 

Securities acquired for Indebtedness 9,440.00 

Loans on Real Estate 2,021,396.00 

Loans on Personal Security 105,227 . 50 

Furniture and Fixtures 13,500.00 

Liberty Bonds 397,448.38 

Thrift Stamp Account 320.77 

Customer's Liberty Bonds in Safe Deposit .... 112,100.00 

Cash on hand and in banks 39.515-65 

Total $3,671,622.05 



204 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



REMINISCENCES OF TOWN MEETINGS IN THE 
EIGHTIES AND NINETIES 
Rev. John H. Lockwood, D.D. 

Much has been written in characterization and praise of the New Eng- 
land town meeting. Its value as a political institution,— the original unit 
of Democracy —can hardly be overestimated. It is a useful school for 
individual training in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Before 
one attains his majority he can visit the school and begm his tutelage 
before becoming entitled to the privilege of either speaking or voting; and 
thus not be obliged to take his active place there as an absolute novice. 

Being myself a native of New York State, my first personal acquaintance 
with this notable institution, occurred when, at the age of thirty-two years, 
I attended the March meeting of 1880, having settled in Westf^eld a few 
days after the April meeting of the preceding year. 

My interest in that and in many a subsequent meeting during two and 
a half decades succeeding, was intense as regards the business aflfairs and 
personal characteristics involved. Important questions of policy relative 
to appropriations large and small were discussed and, when wide differ- 
ences of opinion arose, were threshed out to definite and final decisions, 
though rarely reconsidered and altered. 

During the whole period of my residence I considered it my delight and 
duty to attend every meeting,-regular and special,-a duty incumbent 
upon every citizen, to be escaped only under most pressing necessity. 

Many items of vast importance to the growing town were considered 
during that period and "there were giants in those days." Men mem- 
orable for personality and ability ,-real statesmen in vision, efficiency and 
debate, in this unit of civic administration. 

Often did I listen with admiration and envy to those gifted village 
orators, amazed at their natural powers of forceful expression, only a few 
of them having had the benefits of college training. At times the contest- 
ants on both sides of a question were so effective and convincing in press- 
ing their respective cases, that I found myself wobbling, each speaker in 
turn bringing me to a decision in his favor. 

Certain great enterprises were discussed at length and finally approved, 
though without access to the records I cannot determine accurately the 
order in which they were adopted, some of them having been carried over 
from year to year. 

The raising of the tracks of the New York and New Haven Railroad 

205 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



was one of them, rendered imperative in order to rid the town of a half 
dozen grade crossings. It was a long, tedious and expensive job, involv- 
ing a change of grade for more than a mile from the " tin bridge," so-called, 
at Little River south of Silver Street, to the Great River; but its benefit 
has been incalculable. 

Various expedients in hardening Elm Street were vainly tried when 
action was finally taken providing for curbing and paving from the 
Green to Great River. The horrid incubus of deep mud alternating 
with heavy clouds of dust was removed. 

A system of general sewers, with trunk lines and collaterals was adopted 
after extensive debate. 

The lighting system of the town, gas and electric, was purchased from 
the company which had owned and developed it. 

The Granville water system, supplementary to the original Montgomery 
system, was approved and thoroughly completed. 

Various large schoolhouses required by the increasing population of the 
town were approved and committed to competent hands. 

As each annual meeting drew near, the hearts of the School Board began 
to flutter with anxiety lest the steadily enlarging appropriations called for 
because required by steadily changing conditions, might in some way 
arouse opposition and fail of approval. I well knew the keenness of that 
trepidation from an experience of several years as a member of the com- 
mittee and latterly as chairman; and the blessed relief felt when the budget 
was finally ratified. Westfield has cherished and maintained traditional 
generosity to its schools for many generations. 

Minor matters coming up year by year for consideration, and over which 
were numerous squabbles and heart-burnings, concerned the acceptance of 
new streets, the extension of concrete sidewalks, the location of new street 
lights, the hardening or paving of streets, etc. 

The list of items in the annual warrants became so numerous and the 
questions involved became so complicated, that the happy plan was 
adopted whereby an unhappy committee was regularly appointed to spend 
weary hours in considering them and make recommendations respecting 
them. But for the efficient work of these successive committees, West- 
field would have been forced long ere now to adopt a city charter. 

All these varied questions demanded and received thorough and ex- 
tended discussion, which at times was carried to wearisome length by 
long-winded advocates. 

It was, however, the display of personal character and peculiarity which 
gave me keenest interest in those town meetings. Various men who on 
these occasions exercised their right of free speech, stand out clearly in my 

206 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

memory. They were a notable company, always impressive to a student 
of human nature and a loyal citizen of the historic town. 

A remarkably capable series of moderators guided the proceedings. 
When we found one of that type we liked to keep him in the chair at suc- 
cessive meetings, and he was generally willing to wear the distressful 
crown. In this class Robert H. Kneil, Harold P. Moseley and Joseph D. 
Cadle are most prominent in my recollection. When affairs occasionally 
became so complicated as to bewilder an ordinary parliamentarian, those 
skilful moderators would keep their heads, maintain order and give rulings 
which very rarely were upset by Cushing's Manual. 

The sturdiest and most effective debaters were the Kneils, — Thomas, 
the rugged Manxman, — and his two sons, Arthur S. and Robert. Deacon 
H. B. Smith, founder, with his brother Edwin, of the great manufacturing 
concern which still bears his name; James H. Bryan, merchant and ever 
ready speaker; Lucius F. Thayer, whose engineering ability was utilized 
by the town for so long a period, always prepared to give a clear statement 
and essential figures when any new engineering project was under consider- 
ation; William H. Foote, who late in life served the town and the Federal 
government so faithfully as postmaster; Hon. M. B. Whitney whose legal 
acumen enabled him to discern safe and sound policies; Henry Fuller, 
another prominent lawyer; three younger barristers, — James R. Dunbar, 
whose removal to the Capitol was a distinct loss to the town, Alfred F. 
Lilley of marked ability, Willis S. Kellogg, who for many years has served 
as judge of the District Court. Harold P. Moseley, soon after beginning 
his practice, was notable in debate as well as in a presiding officer's chair. 
Others somewhat less prominent might justly be included in this honor- 
able list. 

One worthy citizen who took little part in formal debate, yet cherished 
such loyalty to the town as to oppose habitually what seemed to him a 
tendency to extravagance in administering its finances, — Noah Strong, 
who almost invariably arose when a motion was made to approve an ap- 
propriation, and moved the substitution of a sum lower than the one named. 
His son, whom I have just chatted with, has reminded me of an amusing 
incident relating to a reversal of Mr. Strong's usual procedure. Once 
when. the town was considering an appropriation to be used in providing 
bath-rooms at the Town Farm, he arose and said: "I move that the 
amount be raised to $10,000 to be used for that purpose and immediately 
expended, for at the present rate of extravagance we all shall be there soon 
and it will be well to have sufficient bath-rooms ready for us." 

There was some wire-pulling, but not of a serious character. There were 
impassioned debates, hot words, sharp retorts, personal reflections, but 

207 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



the bitternesses were speedily mollified. I recall an instance of decidedly 
unparliamentary and unchristian character when in an excited encounter, 
either "Bill " Foote or I charged the other with what a shrewd boy defined 
as "an abomination in the sight of God and a very present help in time of 
trouble." I cannot now recall which of us was the accuser and which the 
accused. The incident was soon closed and did not impair our protracted 
friendship. 

It is a great privilege and satisfaction to be able to visualize the town 
meetings of that interesting period and it will be, on many grounds, an 
expensive loss to the citizens, when that local forum becomes obsolete 
because a city charter does not require its perpetuation. 



208 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

TOPOGRAPHICAL REMINISCENCES 
Frank Grant 

The building of our sewer and drainage system in 1889 resulted in such 
decided changes, not only in sanitary but also in physical conditions, as to 
warrant more than passing notice as one of the remarkable developments of 
the last fifty years. 

Older residents will recall that springs under the hill on which Noble 
Hospital is situated formed a swampy section near the head of Cortez 
Street. From this source, with the addition of a small stream which came 
from the north side of Court Street, west of Bates, there rose a brook which 
flowed in an easterly direction through about the middle of the southern 
portion of the town. Just west of Pleasant Street this brook received the 
waters of another stream from the south which, by the way, furnished 
facilities for a tannery near the present site of the Abner Gibbs schoolhouse. 
The main stream continued easterly across (under) Broad Street in the 
vicinity of H. C. Lane's present home, where it received another tributary 
which had its source in a spring near the east line of the new Post-Office 
and ran under the First Church. From this point the main stream passed 
under the old canal and, crossing Taylor Avenue, State and Cross Streets 
(on the east side of which latter it furnished water for another tannery once 
operated by Lemuel Grant and Horace Avery) it continued on across 
Noble Street and flowed into Little River at a point about opposite Reuben 
Noble's residence. 

Another stream had its rise in the swampy section north of Pine Hill 
Cemetery, near the southerly end of Smith Avenue, and ran eastward 
through what is now Green Avenue, under the old Normal School Dormi- 
tory — now "The Alquat" — across Washington Street and back of the 
Green District schoolhouse. It soon turned northward, crossing School 
Street near the former Advent Church, and continued across Church, 
Arnold and Franklin Streets and through Maple Street,— the sidewalk on 
the east side of Maple Street being a plank covering for the brook. From 
this point it turned again eastward and, after crossing (under) Elm Street, 
received the water from the tail-race of the J. R. Rand Whip Factory, now 
the site of the Westfield Power Company's buildings, and continued under 
the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, north of Birge Avenue, 
and across (under) Mechanic Street on the east side of which it again fur- 
nished power for a whip shop. Thence it took a southeasterly direction 
around the Old Cemetery, through the farm of Erastus (Charles) Grant 

14 209 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

and along what is now White Street where it was known as "Grant's 
Brook." Just north of the present site of the Fort Meadow school it fur- 
nished the "old swimming hole" for boys of that section and generation. 
Thence it continued under the (then) hill back of the old Main Street 
schoolhouse and along the northerly side of Main Street until it crossed 
(under) Meadow Street a few rods north of the stone that marks the site of 
the second meeting-house at the corner of Main and Meadow Streets. 
Then following pretty nearly what must have been the northern line of the 
palisade of Indian days, it flowed into Great River back of the old Major 
Taylor place — now the J. W. Loomis homestead — a bit of its former bed 
being still visible in the rear of F. H. Avery's home on Main Street. 

The Rand factory referred to above, received its power from a section 
of the old canal which was still in existence at that time, the Rand wheel- 
pit being its northern terminus while the "Feeder Brook," which used to 
cross South Broad Street, marked its southern extremity. Main Street 
crossed it so nearly at its surface-line that the bridge timbers were always 
in the water. In summer it afforded a fine swimming-place for the boys 
of the rising generation and in winter a splendid skating-place. That 
part of the canal just south of Main Street and east of the foundry, being 
much wider than the rest, was known as "the basin." Academy Street, 
which used to extend down to "the basin," was formerly called Basin 
Street. 

In especially cold winters the boys were able to skate the canal's whole 
length and up the feeder brook to Brush Dam in Little River, back of the 
Charles R. Fowler farm, and on up to Cowles' Dam (Crane's Mill). When 
the canal was discontinued the railroad and presumably other abutters 
acquired title to the old canal bed, which brings to mind an amusing and 
characteristic reply made by the late Deacon H. B. Smith when the writer 
banteringly asked him : " How did your people get title to so much of that 
canal bed?" This was in his later years, and although he was nearly 
blind, his eyes twinkled as we used to see them do in prayer meeting or in 
town meeting, as he said: "I'll tell you. There's only one other man and 
the Lord and myself that know. The other man is dead and I'm going to 
be soon and the Lord isn't saying anything." 

With the passing of the old canal came relocation of the roadbed of the 
New Haven Railroad and separation of the grades at all its street crossings 
through the town. Subsequently the present viaduct was built to carry 
the Boston and Albany Railroad over Elm Street near the station, and 
later the stations of the two roads were consolidated. 

Thus it may be seen how thoroughly the sewer system has changed very 
considerable portions of Westfield referred to above — the streets running 

2IO 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



south from Court, south from Franklin and east from Smith Avenue, to- 
gether with the whole district comprising White, George and Frederick 
Streets and covering the old Moseley Park tract which was the circus 
ground of a generation ago, — much of this latter having been filled in with 
foundry sand from the H. B. Smith Company in recent years. Indeed the 
result has been a very marked change in the home-building and appearance 
of Westfield during the last half century. 

In the appendix to Mr. Bates' "The Westfield Bicentennial" he gives 
under "Pictures of Westfield As It Was" his early memories of homes in 
Main, Broad and Court Streets. In the following pages the attempt is 
made to identify those properties as occupied at present: 



MAIN STREET 



i86g> or Earlier 
Ives Block 1 

Jacob Morse's store J 

Jacob Morse's residence 

(Later removed to Morse Avenue 
and known as "The Ghost House") 

Parks House 

Piano-leg Factory (one time used 
for First M. E. Church) 

Stephen Douglass house 

Dr. Thomas Ashley 1 
Thomas Ashley / 

The Ballantine house 
Mrs. James Noble 

Squire Fowler house 
Hiram Harrison 

(Formerly center of whip business 

in Westfield) 

Captain Mather 

(Birthplace of Samuel Mather, 
donor of Mather Fund of Athe- 
neum) 

Charles King (the Tryon lot) 



SOUTH SIDE jQiQ 

United States Post -Office 



Landlord Fowler Tavern 



21 



iHewes' Block (Poirier & Martel) 
Home of Mrs. Frances Abbott 
Sackett 
Part of H. B. Smith Co. (#39) 

Residence of Chester H. Abbe (#81) 



The Misses Doherty (#93) 
(Corner of Taylor Avenue) 

Matthew W. Shine (#103) 
(Corner State Street) 

Frank M.Noble (#111) 

Henry B. Prout (#125) 
(Corner Cross Street) 



Mrs. Sarah S. Shepard (#145) 



Mrs. Mary D. Woolworth (#151) 
and the Woolworth houses 

Nelson B. Richardson (#171) 

I 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



Gad Palmer Tavern 

Samuel Arnold 
Elijah Arnold 

"Old Hampden House" (Building 
removed and now standing on 
Thomas Street) 



Major Douglass 
Charles C. Fowler 

Enoch Clark 
Deacon Chadwick 



Lyman Lewis 

Erastus (Charles) Grant 

Main Street Schoolhouse 



George Morgan 
Joel Hathaway 

George H. Moseley 

Hezekiah Taylor 



Jedediah Taylor 

(Site of first meeting-house) 



NORTH SIDE 

The Morrissey Building 



Fish market and Chinese laundry 
Second Congregational Church 

Mrs. Thomas A. Lewis (#60) 

Bailey's Garage (#90) 

House burned about forty years ago. 

Walter R. and James A. White (i}82) 

Walter R. White's tobacco-sorting 
house. 

House still standing just east of 
schoolhouse. 

Fred F. Moseley (#138) 

Edward H . Taylor ( # 1 50) 

J. Wells Loomis (#180) 



1869 or Earlier 

John Phelps 1 

Archippus Morgan J 

Jonathan Taylor 1 

Caleb Alden I 

Mrs. Abbe | 

Mrs. Albert Rand J 

John H. Stowe 

Pliny Moseley 

(Father of Sybil Moseley, — 
Mrs. Hiram Bingham) 
James Bush 



BROAD STREET 
WEST SIDE 



1919 
John T. Way (#29) 

William B. Reed (#33) 
William H. Noble 



Mrs. J. B. Hill (#59) 
(Corner Bush Street) 



212 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



C. K. Bingham 

Lucius F. Thayer 

(House just completed at time of 
Bicentennial Celebration) 



Herbert W. Kittredge 
Lucius F. Thayer 



EAST SIDE 



Ives Property 

(Next south of High School) 



Edwin Moseley 
E. G. Talraadge 



Jessup Place 

Green District Schoolhouse 

Dennis Hedges ■ 

Moseley Noble 

(Residence and Wheelwright shop) 



Noah Strong 

(House now owned by town and 
used for Hostess House and Loan 
Exhibit at Quartermillennial Cele- 
bration) 

Arthur Green 

Henry W. Ely (#56) 

Jere Horton 
E. T. Fowler 

Joseph B. Ely 

Harry C. Lane (#76) 



i86q or Earlier 
Hon. James Fowler 

The Ingersol-Boise Place 



COURT STREET 

NORTH SIDE 1919 

The Atheneum 
The E. B. Gillett Place (#31) 

Site of F. W. Thompson's house 

(#43) 



Caleb Weller 

(House removed to Bates Street) 

Jared Weller 

Ezra Sackett House 

(Original house burned) 

Stephen Sackett 

Frank Atwater 

(Known as "The Washington 
Tavern" On the Dry Bridge 
Road) 



The Parks Place (#69) 

Near schoolhouse site 
Sackett Four Corners 



Mathew Petoniak 



213 



WESTFIELD 



M A S S A CHUSETTS 



SOUTH SIDE 



Abel Whitney 

Dr. William Atwater 

Dr. James Holland 

(Holland house, built by Richard 
Falley, removed to and now 
standing on Holland Avenue) 

Israel Moseley 

Hon. William G. Bates 



Elijah Bates 

(House now standing on Holland 
Avenue) 

Dr. William Holland 
Dr. James Holland 

William P. Hodgett 
C. I. Snow 

Stephen Ashley 
Henry Hooker 

Seth Cowles 

Royal Weller Place 

Horace Holcomb 

"Landlord Holcomb House'' 
H. B. Smith 



Site of the Methodist Church 

James C. Greenough 
Mrs. Ira Miller (#36) 

Henry M. VanDeusen (#42) 
Harry M. Gowdy (#48) 

Samuel Squires (#50) 

George W. Winslow (#52) 
Eugene Doherty (#56) 
C. A. Moore (#70) 
Arthur B. Pendleton (#100) 



Perhaps it is worth while in this connection to note briefly the more 
conspicuous changes on the other prominent street leading from the 
Green during the last half century, viz. — Elm Street. On the east side 
going north there has been little change except general improvement in 
appearance until coming to the Winthrop Hotel, which, with the buildings 
between it and the Lambson Block, submerge the flower garden and the 
residences of the late Samuel Dow and of Dr. VVoodvine, the latter having 
been, I think, Westfield's earliest homeopathic physician. Mr. Dow con- 
ducted what was perhaps the first commercial greenhouse in town. The 
Lambson Block at the corner of Thomas Street stands in what was George 
Dow's front dooryard. 

On the north corner of Thomas Street was the residence of Asa P. Rand, 
and next the residence first of Dr. J. H. Waterman and later of Dr. M. L. 
Robinson, both sites now covered by the imposing Columbus Block, and 



214 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

the Y. M. C. A. Building. The Baptist Church and Allen Memorial 
Building occupy the site of the old Captain Charles Douglas house. The 
John Bancroft house, next north (removed to and now standing on Chapel 
Street), made way for the Central House on the corner of Chapel Street. 
On the north corner the Universalist church has been remodeled and is 
now the Masonic Temple. Just beyond the next two residences stood 
the old Noble-Ashley house (a cut of it is in Mr. Greenough's contribu- 
tion to "Copeland's History of Hampden County"), said to have been the 
first house erected on Elm Street. I think it was on the site of that house 
that the Hoop Skirt-" Crinoline "-Factory of Rand, Lewis & Rand stood, 
finally burned and the site now occupied by the buildings of the Westfield 
Power Company. The latter also covers the site of the old J. R. Rand 
Whip Shop, whose bell always rang as well as the various church bells 
whenever there was a fire, before the advent of power fire-engines and the 
electrical fire-alarm signal system. 

Beyond the Rand Factory stood William Provin's shop and that of 
Shepard, Holcomb & Cook. All these buildings sufTered in the flood of 
1869. The last before coming to the railroad was the old-time black- 
smith shop of William Phelps, practically the site of the Swift Company's 
building of today. Beyond the railroad and Bartlett Street, the brick 
block and the Nickel Theatre hold the site of the old Cornelius Bartlett 
house; the Tivoli on that of William A. Johnson. Farther north and 
beyond the Standard-Atwater-Bay State and now again the Standard 
Whip Shop, the major change has been the remodeling of the Lay Whip 
Shop into a church and still later the building just beyond it of the more 
pretentious Church of the Holy Trinity and parochial residence. Beyond 
Meadow Street the extensive development of the power plant of E. A. & 
S. A. Allen has displaced the church organ factory of Steer & Turner and 
the old-time town dump at the south end of the old covered bridge. 

On the west side of Elm Street, corner of Court Street, the fine old resi- 
dence of the late Hon. James Fowler has become the home of the West- 
field Atheneum (Free Public Library). Next, the Holland Block holds its 
own, but the old Woronoco Hotel (Wilmarth House) has lost its veranda, 
acquired a modern front and flourishes under the name of "The New 
Park Square. " The buildings next north to School Street are much the 
same in appearance, but on the north corner of School Street (the Metho- 
dist people having built their fine house of worship on Court Street) the 
old church minus its steeple and white paint is now the Commercial 
Block, sheltering as one of its tenants a Loomis grocery store as it did 
fifty years ago. For thirty-eight years it housed the United States Post- 
Ofifice. North to Church Street, the First National Bank has rebuilt its 

215 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

front but no other material change has occurred. The old Baptist Church 
on the north corner of Church Street would hardly be recognized with its 
three-story brick front. This building also held the Post-Office for some 
eight years. A little farther north the residence of Dr. Andrews has been 
pushed back and forms the rear part of the Woronoco Hotel Building. 

This brings us to the Parks Block covering the site of the former resi- 
dence of T. Horton Loomis (the house now the residence of C. F. Austin 
on Woronoco Avenue) and of the old Atwater-Blair place. In its day 
the latter house was a fine old mansion with mammoth elm trees in front, 
— trees probably over a hundred years old when cut down to make way for 
the new block. On the south corner of Arnold Street, now occupied by 
the Gowdy Block, stood the Chapman-Smith-Gowdy residence, where 
General Samuel Chapman Armstrong of Hampton School fame spent part 
of his earlier life. On the north corner where the Gillett Block and the 
Lakin Block stand was the house of Dr. Jehiel Abbott, the building now 
standing on Arnold Street as the Colonial Hotel. The Parker and the 
Lane & Loomis Blocks cover the sites of the homes of Rev. Dr. Emerson 
Davis (long time pastor of the First Church) and of the late Cutler 
Laflin. A little farther north was the residence of Dr. William Bell, later 
of J. B. Williams (the building now on Mechanic Street next north of the 
Old Cemetery gate). That site and next, on to Franklin Street, are now 
covered by store properties. 

From Franklin Street to the railroad crossing are various but not notable 
changes. The old-time Elm Street Schoolhouse (supplanted by the Davis 
School on Bartlett Street, now the Boys' Trade School) is still standing as 
a tenement house in the rear of its former site. The residence of William 
Phelps, just opposite his shop, is now part of a furniture store. Between 
the railroad and Orange Street the Van Deusen Block and that built by 
Thayer & Waterman stand on the ground formerly covered by the W. A. 
Johnson Church Organ Factory. After the burning of the latter their 
new factory was built near the dike at the south end of the bridge, now 
occupied by the Emmons Howard Church Organ Business, and the J. J. 
Fuller Wood Turning Shop. North of Orange Street are the Merrick 
Lumber Company's Warehouse, the Kosciuszko Hotel, the Sanford 
(Donovan Brothers' Branch of the United States Whip Company), and 
the Massasoit Whip Shop (now the Rogers Silver Company's Plant), all 
built in comparatively recent years. 

Elm Street with its successive regradings (sidewalks three and four 
deep in places), now granite paved and traversed by the Franklin Stre,et, 
Union Street and Holyoke trolley lines, of the Springfield Street Railway 
is our busiest thoroughfare. 

2l6 



TWO H U NDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



REMINISCENCES 
Frances Fowler 

The changes in Westfield's physical aspect are most interestingly portrayed in 
the Reminiscences of Miss Frances Fowler who gives a delightfully vivid picture 
of the town as it appeared to the children of fifty years ago. 

One day one of my brothers asked : " Mama, do you remember Noah's 
flood?" My mother disclaimed such a feat of memory, but a younger 
child said: "Well, I'm sure she can remember when David killed Goliath." 

It seems not unlike that now, as I recall the Westfield of the days when 
that question was asked. 

It is said that the changes of the latter half of the nineteenth century 
were greater than during the five previous centuries, and the changes in 
Westfield alone make this statement credible. 

The wider spaces stand out in my memory, even allowing for the dis- 
tances of youth, for we had a wealth of meadow, orchard and hill in which 
to play. In the triangle formed by Court, Broad and Silver Streets, 
there were only two streets laid out; Mill and Pleasant Streets. 

The brow of the hill and the hillside between the 'present Chestnut 
Street and Bates Street was a never-failing ground for adventure, with a 
small brook at the foot of the hill and a little pond near Court Street. 

The whole region of the present Tekoa Avenue was pasture and wood- 
land and the Sheldon lot and other lots in the vicinity of Noble Avenue 
were available for children's feet. There was nothing incongruous in 
picking huckleberries below Chestnut Street, near a small hole in the 
hillside which we children named the "Cave of Adullam"; nor in helping 
the hired men in hay-time in the meadow, drinking the haymakers' drink 
in close proximity to the big meadow swing gate from the extremely high 
post of which Eli the High Priest, as impersonated by one of us, fell off 
when he heard of the fate of his wicked sons; nor in decking what we pre- 
tended were shrines of the gods of Greece and Rome, on the slope below 
the upper end of King Street within sound of the village bells. 

The names of the localities were original and interesting: Honey-pot, 
The Island, Hundred-acres, Lover's Lane, Ponder's Hollow (Pond's Hol- 
ler), Salmon Falls, Poverty Plain, Pine, Aunt Nab's, Sand and Clay Hills, 
Squawfield, Tophet, The W., The Jug Road, Madagascar, New Guinea, 
Jacksland, Pochassic, The Wildcat Road, The Pitcher, Timber Swamp, 
and Frog Hole. 

The township is so large and of such diverse soils, that the flora of 

217 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

Westfield is unusual. The flowers that grew around us added, in great 
measure, to our recollections. The spring in the meadow where the white 
violets grew we named "The Fountain of Pirene, " and the "gentil knighte" 
"pricked o'er the plaine" in the same meadow near the grass-grown log 
bridge under which our pet striped snakes disported. Lancelot, Rob 
Roy, The Forest Exiles, Horatius and Ivanhoe, with Hector and Aeneas 
were appropriately placed in the apple orchard whose lane was the scene 
of many a gallant fight. 

I can still see Absalom hanging by miles of hair from the big buttonball 
tree near the present Holland Avenue; the fairies were most at home in a 
certain mass of fine grass near Mrs. Root's house (Robert Chapin Park- 
er's) and as for Indians, they might be, and were to our fancy, anywhere. 
The stone marked " IX miles to Springfield Court House, " near Mr. 
Grant's house on Main Street, was revered like a relic of the Roman Forum ; 
we learned Grecian architecture from the pillars of some of the houses, 
and Gothic styles were made familiar to us by the Stimpson house (corner 
Main and Cross Streets) and even more by the adorable panelled cupboards 
in the bookstore on Elm Street. 

We knew nearly everybody and everybody seemed to know us, though 
the "little boys" were once chagrined when a man told them: "Oh yes, 
I know your grandfather, he owes me ten dollars." 

Never were children more kindly treated when doing errands. Mr. 
Holland's apothecary shop was as a crystal palace to us. Mr. Morse 
made us welcome by song and flute as we passed the display of what 
seemed crown-jewels, to go up the familiar stairs to his home. Gillett, 
Snow and Thayer's store was approached by several steps but that ascent 
achieved, we were often allowed to go behind the counter and make our 
own change. Mr. Buell let us set our own type for the enigmas which we 
so kindly contributed as we thought, and which he so patiently printed, 
as we now know. It was a great day when Mr. Colton, who manufactured 
extracts, sold peeled lemons and so it was all along the line, even to the 
candy emporium of Mr. John Hull on the corner of Elm and Church 
Streets. Once the friendly butcher told my younger brother: "You're 
a fine boy. You'll be a man before your mother, " and a thrill of sad- 
ness came to me that such praise could never be bestowed on me. 

Naturally, the livery stables were always interesting, and a tinge of the 
same jealousy beset me when we girls were not asked to sit aloft and drive 
in a funeral procession. 

But we were familiar with horses for the boys drove the cows to pasture 
and David saddled an extra horse in the morning for the girls to learn to 
ride. 

2l8 



TWO H UND RED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



There is one marked difference between us and the children of the 
present day. We had no money. We never needed any. When we 
were sent on errands we brought back the change. Once in a while we had 
a penny for a stick of candy. Generally speaking, we did work in house 
or yard with no thought of emolument, but sometimes we were paid small 
sums for weeding or for picking sage leaves, and we learned finance by 
buying Christmas presents, with a total of fifty cents with which to pur- 
chase gifts for everybody for whom we had not made something. 

Christmas was far simpler, but no tree can produce the thrill of creeping 
downstairs early, in that dark December morning, and feeling the big 
things, and scampering back to a warm bed with one's own stocking. 

A bride of 1848 said to Mr. E. B. Gillett on Court Street: "How much 
improved this street would be by a row of trees in the middle!" He 
replied: "Look again," as he and Mr. Samuel Fowler had set them out 
that year. 

My father used to tell of walking barefoot on the fences, as a boy. 
There were fences for every house lot, sometimes as at our grandfather's 
(the present Atheneum), there were hedges of arbor vitae. The front 
yards had many more trees and shrubs than is now customary, and 
syringas, lilacs, Missouri currants, roses and locusts were common — and 
we older ones amuse ourselves and each other now by enumerating the 
growing things in the yards we knew best. Judging by present standards 
there was not room for all that grew. 

The grades of the streets running east and west have been many times 
changed, and future archaeologists will find at least three front walks in 
many places. 

In the early eighties a young man airily offered his company to a young 
woman with: "May I escort you to your gate?" "Thank you," she 
said; "the gate is in the woodshed," this being the era when fences, as 
they wore out, were not repaired, but made way gradually, by slow or 
rapid decay, for the park effect now well nigh universal. There is less 
privacy, yet the fences were easy loafing places, and pickets were broken 
off freely to make wider seats of a summer evening. 

Some fences were a constant joy and a scene of walking competition. 
The fence on Broad Street in front of the Alden (Reed) house was easy, 
but in front of the Morgan (Way) house the rails were set edges up, and 
walking was quite a toeing-in stunt. Lawn-mowers were not much used 
during the days of fences, nor were the streets much sprinkled — still, 
there was less passing, of course. 

One of the joys of travel, aside from the venturesome element, was to 
have the stage call for passengers. Some one asked once what sort of a 



219 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

woman a certain child had made, "for, " said she, " the last time I saw her 
she was hanging on behind the old stagecoach." Then came "hacks" 
and we drove all around town to pick up other travelers, and happy was 
the youngster who was called for first. 

Later there was a small omnibus, but usually people walked, in days 
before the latest severe flood, through a covered bridge, over the river 
where, at the further edge, stood a huge old elm tree.* 

I suppose vehicular fashion has changed as much as anything, and 
merely to think of the different kinds of wagons, carriages, carts, sleds, and 
sleighs in which we have sped over the roads of Hampden County is to 
set our mental wheels in a whirl. Sleighrides are even yet unsurpassed 
in many minds. Speaking of vehicles reminds me of Tom Thumb's won- 
derful little coach, and Tom Thumb reminds me of the Music Hall stage, 
and the magical, marvelous glass-blowers. How proud we were to have a 
baby in a bottle or a ship in full sail ! 

Most of the old inhabitants remember with grateful affection the pre- 
siding geniuses of kitchen and barn, whose interest in the affairs of the 
household made them as much a part of the daily life as the members of 
the family. The "American Economical Housekeeper" fifty-fifth thou- 
sand in 1845 has one receipt which begins: "Take a hundred pounds of 
ham." While in my childhood the food was not cooked in such large 
quantities, the kitchen was a busy place and nowhere are greater changes 
seen than in the methods of the domestic and culinary departments. Even 
when bought, poultry was usually plucked and dressed and vegetables 
cleaned at home, berries were sold at the door from pails to dishes, milk 
was poured out by measure into wide pans (with milk tickets passing from 
hand to pocket and pocket to pan). Nearly everyone made sausages and 
head cheese at home and tried out the lard. Can't you smell the crisp 
"scraps? " A whole orange was rather self-indulgent, a bunch of bananas 
sent from New York a wonder to behold, and Guava jelly a rare arrival — 
eaten only to "taste" the strange flavor. 

The mere word "water" in connection with the kitchen makes one 
remember the stages from the well, the pump in the yard, the pump in 
the kitchen, the cold water faucet at the kitchen sink, the luxury of the 
hot water tank back of the range, and, height of luxury, the faucet thereto, 
to the water service of today. From water to fire is but a step, and 
reminds us how recent and how devoid of widespread excitement is the 
present fire alarm system. For many years the bell of the First Church 
clanged out the warning, and, if by night, everybody jumped out of bed, 

* Then one of if not the finest known specimens of New England's famous elms. Grand in 
both its size and symmetry. Of more than local fame through Henry Ward Beecher's praise 
of its surpassing beauty. 

220 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



and pattered from window to window, and even up the garret stairs to see 
where the sky was red, and guessed where the fire was, and everyone who 
could, "went to the fire" and was envied rather drowsily by those who 
went back to sleep. 

It is hard to understand how the young people of today can get along 
without Bates's Pond and the Canal. Bates's Pond was on Pleasant 
Street, between Mr. Rockwell's (now Sackett's) house and Pearl Street — 
a safe fishing place for child and fish, the safest of skating places for 
small children and quite large enough for less public practice, whence one 
advanced to the canal, the "salon" of skating-dom, as well as the arena. 

When the new Academy Building was dedicated, my father wrote of 
the old Academy, 

"And Cupid wrought with shaft and bow. 
How few our ranks had been. 
Had certain pupils never met 
Those fateful walls between." 

Near the Academy from whose old belfry the bell cast by Paul Revere 
rang out a call as important as the call he gave to the sleeping patriots, 
was the old canal a close second and assistant to that "match factory." 
Here many a school boy shyly put on some girl's skates, and advanced 
thence to paying other and fonder attentions. Here budding chivalry 
slipped and slid into favor, and skill in curves and edges showed off to 
eyes that "rained the prize." 

Once a man called on my grandfather with a scheme whereby canal 
and ponds should be so developed as to make Southwick Ponds "the Port 
of the world." My father and Henry L. Dawes were "two days and 
nights breasting the stormy Southwick seas" on their way to Yale in 1837. 
To us Southwick Ponds was a charming peaceful haunt for afternoon and 
evening with lilies resting on its breast and Manatick keeping guard. 
The old fiat-bottomed boats gave us our earliest rowing lessons, and the 
homeward drive behind the fast little mares over the dusty plains made 
"the end of a perfect day." 

The church services have changed much in fifty years. They are less 
simple, a semblance of ritual has crept in, and music is less spontaneous. 
The church choir for many years was a power in the land. Everybody 
went to church as a matter of course — many children to three services. 
A hymn-book still exists in which there is a list on a flyleaf of the number 
of times each letter occurs on the tablet to the Reverend Edward Taylor, 
and the thrill is unforgotten when the question was whispered along the 
pew: "If he was eighty-seven when he died, how old was he when he 

221 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

was ordained?" Probably every child has wondered not how he could be 
ordained O. S. (old style) but how he managed to die O. S. ! 

A few mothers allowed their children to read Sunday School books 
during sermon time, and Dr. Davis was considered ultra-liberal when he 
said he was glad to see a pew full of quiet children whose mothers could 
give him their attention. He always wore a swallow-tailed coat. He 
was kindly and yet as I look back I smile at the halo of magic which seemed 
to surround him. My mother told me that one night I got into a state of 
terror after I had gone to bed, for fear that I should go to hell. She came 
up and vainly tried to soothe me, but I wailed out: "Oh, I wish Dr. 
Davis were my papa!" My mother went down stairs and my father 
came up and talked to me. Of course I don't remember what he said, but 
hell had no further interest for me, save in a spectacular way. I asked 
him later what he said, and he replied: "I don't know; probably my best 
advice, given as infants' food, ' Face the music.'" 

Sunday observance was much more strict, and other people's souls 
more watched on Sunday than now. One Sunday, word came that the 
cattle had got out of the pasture on Montgomery Mountain, and my 
father went up to see about it, taking some of the children with him. On 
our return the worshippers were passing our house on the way to afternoon 
church, and my parents blushed when their youngest called out, holding 
up a pail of berries: "Oh, mamma, we got two quarts!" 

In later years Sunday afternoon was our best time. We always went to 
walk, and whoever would, could come along, guest or neighbor. 

When Dr. Davis died, the Sunday School sat in the high "chapel" and 
the big doors were raised. The Sunday School marched to the cemetery. 
Some who were too young were taken with their parents in carriages, but 
it was a matter of pride to think oneself old enough to trudge along the 
dusty road. I remember seeing a baptism just below the iron bridge. 
Often, in recent days, when passing that spot, I think of the changes in 
religious customs, as well as of the changes in the bed of the river. 

When Abraham Lincoln Died 

It was an early spring, and that April day was fair. My cousin Lucy 
Gillett and I had accomplished several successful slides down the ice- 
house roof, — gymnastic feats in connection with the cherry tree which 
grew nearby were always part of the sliding, — and we were sitting in the 
sawdust by the door, giggling and planning the next prank. 

Our grandfather came up the lane, and stopped before us, solemnly 
and sadly. He said: "Little girls, how can you laugh today? A great 
and good man has gone. " It made a profound impression, which was no 
doubt what he intended. 

222 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



Socially we had a very good time as children, in our 'teens, and later. 
The supper parties and cousin parties and the few dances were all good of 
their kind. Sewing societies met at private houses before the Parish 
Houses were built, but the Second Church Chapel was a seat of instruction 
and entertainment as it was so commodious and convenient. There was 
always a party somewhere on Thanksgiving evening. One year when we 
were grown up we had a leap-year party. Once there was a masquerade 
party, of which the costumes remain to this day. The Dandelion Club 
was our supreme attempt at Society with a Big S, although we had sporadic 
New Year's calls, and I remember once when the college boys came home 
we had twelve parties in a fortnight. 

We had instruction of many kinds. As children we went to a private 
school in Flint's block. Miss Kingsley's school in Mr. Hull's basement, 
and then to the Green District schools. I believe them to have been 
poorly heated and ventilated, but who cared then? Though one year, 
when we had a parsimonious committee-man who bought "slabs," we 
were almost frozen. The "magic" feeling must have been with us when 
my cousin and I rang Dr. Davis' door bell and with our reader, arithmetic 
and geography, asked him to examine us, and see if we could not go from 
the intermediate school to the grammar school. He gravely opened the 
books and asked us questions and wrote a note to the effect that we should 
go up higher. This we presented and were rather troubled heroines, for 
it made quite a disturbance, as others of the class wanted to go also. I 
can see the tears of annoyance now on the teacher's face. It was a casual 
sort of school committee, perhaps, but the committee-men when they 
visited the school were looked at with such awe as mere man has seldom 
caused. 

Grandsires and Grandsons 

One day in the late seventies, my father (Samuel Fowler), found in his 
grandfather's (Samuel Fowler) account book the entry "Azariah Mosely, 
potatoes." At the next town meeting he said to the grandson of that 
Azariah, who also bore the name of Azariah Mosely, — "You never paid 
me for those potatoes." Mr. Mosely was astonished. "Paid you? I 
never bought a potato in my life ! " My father quietly said : " I have the 
entry in a book at my house. " When town meeting day came again, Mr. 
Mosely came to my father and said: "I went home and told my wife 
and she agreed that we had never bought any potatoes of you or anybody 
else. I said to her, 'If it was anybody but that Sam Fowler I'd deny it 
all,' but," he said, "you told me once that I should see the water playing 
higher than the First Church steeple. I looked at you and thought, 'Has 
the man gone plumb crazy?' but I've seen the water playing higher than 



223 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



the church steeple, and I'll pay for the potatoes." My father asked him 
to his library and together they pored over the old page, dated 1773, and 
the entries in pounds, shillings and pence, and Azariah Mosely said to 
Samual Fowler, "Our grandfathers never thought their grandsons of the 
same names would be reading this all these years afterwards." 

To the generation older than ours no homage paid can be too great. 
What they accomplished, what they surmounted, seems almost beyond 
belief. They kept so true a balance, socially, domestically, intellectually, 
and spiritually, that every breath we draw should be a tribute to their 
individual and composite character. 

We have been unfortunate in that many of our best sons have gone 
away. Few parents and fewer children now look upon their places of 
residence as destined to be their future home, but we are fortunate in that 
new ones have come to stay. A lady of Buflfalo was asked a few years ago 
whether a clergyman, spoken of as a possible candidate for one of our 
pulpits, would find congenial, intellectual companionship. "Intellect?" 
she exclaimed, " Poetesses in Westfield are as common as milkmen in 
Buffalo. I repeat it," she said; "I have traveled much but I have never 
seen a group of women to compare with the women of Westfield." A 
friend of mine said she had made up her mind that the Garden of Eden 
must have been in the vicinity of Westfield, because so many lives are 
linked to it. 

For Westfield the prayer of Agur seems to have been answered, "Give 
me neither poverty or riches." Perhaps this is the reason why things are 
done simply and naturally in a straightforward way, which is " sui generis." 
This peculiar thing, this Westfield feeling, goes with her children and 
survives even an occasional dissatisfaction of which the returning ones 
may be conscious. It comforts, it stimulates, and it sustains. It flour- 
ishes in the garden of our hearts, and flowering perennially, it sweetens 
life. 



224 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

THE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1862 
Samuel J. Fowler 

The High School used to be kept in the first story of the Town Hall. 
A very pleasant place for the scholars, because whenever there was a town 
meeting there was such a row in the second story that school had to be 
dismissed since it was impossible to hear what was said on account of the 
racket overhead. That was a great school ! 

On the first day of the term the teacher would ask the boys what they 
were going to study and one after another would answer: "Arithmetic, 
grammar and geography." Finally the teacher got tired of hearing that 
and said: "Now I've had enough of this arithmetic, grammar and geog- 
raphy. You boys have come here year after year and studied arithmetic, 
grammar and geography, and if you haven't learned those things it is 
because you haven't brains enough to take them in. Now we won't have 
any more arithmetic, grammar and geography in this school. You have 
got to take something else. Take astronomy or algebra. At any rate 
arithmetic, grammar and geography cannot now be taken." And they 
weren't. 

Lessons were not always learned in that school. I remember once all 
the boys in the class failed and the teacher lined them up with their faces 
toward the blackboard which covered the wall; then he made circles 
about three inches higher than the boys' noses and said to each: "Put 
your nose in the ring." Which they all proceeded to do, standing on their 
tip-toes to do it. That position becomes very tiresome and painful after 
a while, so the boys reached one way and another until they struck an 
eraser, whereupon they would rub out the circle the teacher had drawn 
and make another two inches lower, so that they could stand on their 
heels and still keep their noses in the ring. But when teacher observed 
that their heels were on the floor he sauntered around and immediately 
raised the boys by an application of the heavy ruler he carried in his hand. 

A boy misconducted himself once, but he had been thrashed so often 
that the teacher knew it would do no good; so the boy was sent out of 
school to get a sapling to be punished with. He returned after a half day's 
absence with a young pine tree about twenty feet long and two inches in 
dimaeter at the butt, with the bark nicely stripped off, and handed this 
to the teacher who quietly told him to take his seat. 

I have preserved a cutting from the Springfield Republican giving the 
score of a baseball game played July 31, 1866: 

16 225 



WESTFIELD 



M A S S A C H U S E T T S 



"We inadvertently omitted to state at the proper time how badly the Eureka 
ball club of this city was beaten in their second match for the junior champion- 
ship of Western Massachusetts, this time by the Woronoco Club of Westfield. 

The match was played last Saturday and we append the score now, that 
the Woronoco boys may have the credit they so justly earned:" 



Eureka 



Gillett, c 3 

Emerson, p 2 

Smith, s.s 3 

Hawkes, ib 3 

Carr, 2b 3 

Crane, 3b 2 

Wardwell, l.f 3 

Allen, r.f 4 

Houghton, c.f 4 



Woronoco 

R. o. R. 

4 (Fred) Gillett, s.s 2 4 

4 ("Cap.") Snow, c 3 3 

3 (Frank) Fairfield, l.f 3 5 

2 ("Hen") Allen, r.f 5 i 

4 (Fred) Smith, ib 3 4 

4 (Sam) Fowler, p o 7 

2 (Ed) Smith, 2b 3 3 

2 ("Ic") Fowler, 3b 3 4 

2 (Jim) Noble, c.f 5 2 



Total 27 27 



Total 27 33 



Innings I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Eureka i i 4 811 o o 2 o — 27 

Woronoco i i 6 5 i 4 5 7 3—33 

Scorers — Eureka, Ames; Woronoco, Catlin 
Umpire — J. Fowler of the Amateur B. B. C. 



226 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



WESTFIELD IN THE LATE SEVENTIES 
Bertha Mansfield Freeman 

The request for "reminiscences of Westfield days" from one who so 
quietly slipped away into that Other Room, comes now Uke an opportu- 
nity that cannot be allowed to pass. 

To one who spent only the years of childhood in Westfield the backward 
glance makes Westfield seem like a wondrous playground. There was 
enough of country, so that one was never cramped for room or stifled for 
lack of air. There was enough of city, so that the circus and the merry-go- 
round, the musicale and the party did not pass us by and leave us too pro- 
vincial. We seemed to have a blending of social ingredients which served 
to make up a childhood full of fragrant memories. 

In the spring we went up the Blandford Road in Mr. Hull's ice cart, and 
off into the fields for the sweetest of the Mayflowers, the wonderful trailing 
arbutus. If it happened to be late enough, we would fill our baskets with 
wild strawberries and the "Youngsters" of the wintergreen. Behind the 
trees and the knolls and an occasional barn we played hide-and-go-seek, 
counting: "Eeny, meeny, miny mo, pesky-lony, bony stro, hull-gull boo! 
Out goes you!" or perhaps we varied it with: "Catch a nigger by the toe, 
if he hollers, let him go." 

When May first came and we had been preparing for days with scissors 
and colored tissue papers, we went forth hanging May baskets, darting out 
and home again fast, for fear of losing the fun of chasing the basket-hanger 
at our own door. The thirtieth came, and we decorated the Soldiers' 
Monument and walked behind those noble veterans of that other war 
before our time, little thinking what awful war we were to know. 

When graduation time came we went in groups to the pastures and the 
hillsides, for that flower of flowers, shrub of shrubs, the mountain laurel 
and sometimes, not far away, we could find the pink azalea. When a single 
spray reaches us now and then, we recall the masses of it which we used to 
bring home. The tragedy of the flood time is lost in the wonderful experi- 
ence that the days brought. First the schoolhouse basement was full of 
water and the school yard a sea of boards, boxes and sheds, so that avenue 
of fancied torture was closed and we could revel in fishing with the garden 
rake for the vegetables needed for dinner from the top cellar stair, or better 
yet go boating up our own street, catching treasures as they floated past. 
The devastation sat lightly on us, to whom floods furnished holidays. The 
settled spring brought marbles — maybe we played for keeps — and kite- 
flying from many a hilltop. Telephone wires did not exist to catch our 

227 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

strings and spoil our tempers. There was croquet too, and archery, whose 
quiet skill has passed out of our present hectic days. 

Our simple children's parties, our church Strawberry Festivals, and the 
Sunday School picnics at Southwick Ponds, formed a great part of our 
social life which was wholesome if not always stimulating. Once somebody 
came from afar to train us, and we held in Music Hall what to us were 
remarkable theatricals — where Bobby Shaftoe, in memory thrills us still, 
who "came from sea with silver buckles on his knee." Who can forget the 
Firemen's Muster when the old-time tub vied with the modern engine in 
throwing the mighty stream? We marched the streets, and knew almost 
every one we met. 

When the fall days came, where could be found more glorious colorings 
than our hills provided? What could compare with a sunset from Pine 
Hill with all the blending of autumn foliage? And who does not remember 
the cider mill on Silver Street, where without hindrance we sucked the cider 
through a straw, and afterwards were generously fed nearby with dough- 
nuts and butternuts? 

We recall the awesome Yellow Day (September 6, 1881). The schools 
were closed. President Garfield lay dying, and prophets said this was the 
end of the world, but we still lived on. 

Shall we ever forget those crisp, clear Saturdays when we filled the hay- 
rack with shouting boys and girls with bulging baskets, and started for the 
chestnut trees over the Berkshire Hills. In the glow of the setting sun we 
" piled " back into the hayrack loaded with nuts, tired and bur-scratched, 
but radiantly happy. As we creaked down the hills toward home snatches 
of song, with "Co-ca-chee-lunk, chee-lunk, chee lay-lee" and "Rig-a-jig- 
jig" announced our coming. 

Not even Toytown and its modern sports could equal the joys of West- 
field in the winter. King Street, with a child or more in every house, had 
unexcelled coasting, with double-runners flying by in close succession; 
some of them gorgeously upholstered, and decked with fancy steering- 
gear. When we feared the street was getting too much cut up, we used to 
turn the hose on at night and find beautiful glare ice in the morning, and 
no motor-car obstructed our gay course. 

The canal was our skating pond and there we watched the Chinese boys 
cut figure 8s. They, with many others, had been sent by their government 
to be educated in this country and were general favorites. 

Friday nights when there were no lessons to learn we gathered in some- 
body's big kitchen, made pop-corn balls, pulled molasses candy and — 
walked home in the moonlight. 

The great Church Christmas Tree holds a bright place in our memory. 

228 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

It held far too many of our own gifts, but we did like to hear our names 
called out. 

The vivid nights of the torchlight processions stand out clearly in our 
recollections. We decorated our windows in red, white, and blue paper 
and put candles in the windows, if the marching was in behalf of our par- 
ticular, political party, but if not, our windows were ominously dark. 

Valentine's Day was a day of uncertain rapture with paper-laced and 
fringed messages, as: 

"To you my heart is given. 
Oh, do give yours to me. 
We'll lock them up together 
And throw away the key!" 

The autograph album was the giver and receiver of youthful emotions. 

"Over here — way out of sight 
I'll sign my name just out of spite," 

was one of the many heart-stirring inscriptions. 

You who have lived in those days will know the times and the seasons 
thereof, and will echo the words of our Graduation Song: 

"Let us sing one more song ere our pathways divide, 
One last song to the days that are o'er." 



229 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



MY TEACHERS 
Katharine Gibbs Allen 

After my older daughter's visit to Westfield on the occasion of the dedi- 
cation of the Abner Gibbs School, she said to me: "But, Mother, West- 
field is a city, and you have always talked as though you were brought up 
in the country!" And so, probably, I had, for the Westfield of my child- 
hood was a New England village and fortunately is so still, in appearance. 

We of the village proper were a homogeneous group, — nearly all of 
American ancestry, with little distinction of rich and poor, all going to 
public school together. When I came to be a teacher myself, I realized 
that, perhaps owing to our having a Normal School in the town, our schools 
were up to the best educational standards and in advance of those of many 
towns in the state. As I name our teachers over, is it not a remarkable 
succession of fine, devoted men and women and a type of teacher that in 
general seems to be passing? There was no systematic religious training 
in those schools, but there was there a most definite religious training by 
precept; yes, but more powerfully still by the example of noble lives, whose 
influence has been a light and a guide to our path ever since. 

It is of these schools and of the teachers who made them that I want to 
leave a record, imperfect as it will be, on the pages of the memorial of that 
most worthy celebration of the 250th Anniversary of our " Mount Auburn, 
loveliest village of the plain." 

My first day as a pupil in the primary room of the Silver Street School, 
was also the first day of Charles Thayer, Fred Norton, Esther Fowler and 
Margaret Atwater. We all kept on together and were graduated at the 
same time from the High School. What more lovely person could we have 
had to start us on our road than Miss Lucy Foote? How well I feel the 
atmosphere of joy and love which surrounded her; how well I remember 
our eagerness to take home each night the little piece of paper with the 
"Good" written upon it. Once only did I have a "Bad" to take home. 
I have entirely forgotten why I had it, but I am sure that whatever reproof 
she would give would be given so tenderly that it would leave no sting. 
Soon she was married to Mr. Myron Lloyd who had been my father's boy- 
hood friend in Blanford, and Mrs. Marshall took her place. 

Next in the intermediate room of the Silver Street School was Miss Julia 
Noble, a fine type of woman, faithful and devoted. For years I had the 
picture she gave me for excellence in some test on the multiplication tables, 
and I remember with gratitude her taking me home several afternoons 



230 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



after school to help me make a cardboard and cross-stitch motto for my 
mother's birthday. 

Our next promotion to the grammar school, or School of Observation — 
and it was not until some time afterward that I knew what that long word 
meant — brought us under Mr. Haldeman, a very kindly man, and Miss 
Morse, an inspiration and example to us of the graces of life. I was the type 
of child who appealed little to her, but I wish we might nowadays have 
more who had her background, to be with our children in the public schools. 

The four years of High School was the longest period we spent in any 
one school, and there the strongest impression naturally was made. Of 
the many teachers of this period, those who stand out most prominently 
are Mr. Pratt, fresh from his studies at Amherst; Miss Holton, with an 
enthusiasm for mathematics which she communicated to me; Miss Reed, 
an untried saint; Miss Fowler and Miss Kneil. 

Miss Carrie Norton, while not a teacher in the school, was virtually one 
during those years and made a deep impression upon us through her untir- 
ing efforts to provide us with social good times which should be, at the same 
time, educational. I well remember such an evening spent at her home 
where the subject was Venice. She gave us of her best and got our best 
from us. 

I did not know Miss Fowler so well then nor love and appreciate her so 
much as I have come to since. But it was quite a wonderful thing to have 
a young girl — as she really was at that time, though we thought her old 
enough — with her background, education, her experiences of travel and of 
social advantages, come in to make part of our school life. She brought 
in a breath from a world of greater beauty and greater refinement than we 
had known before. The young people of my sister's class attached them- 
selves to her most devotedly. 

It is to Miss Kneil, aside from my father, that I owe the greatest debt 
that I owe to any teacher. She was my ideal and I have the picture of her 
still clearly in mind as she walked down the aisle of the church with my 
father at the High School graduating exercises, and of how my heart went 
out to her in love and in recognition of all that she was. I considered her 
the best informed person of my acquaintance and it is partly through my 
trying to be like her, as I thought, that I know a little about so many things 
and nothing much about any one thing. She probably was a master of 
her subject, but it was never her scholarship that impressed me. 

I was rather a sad child, — or such I seem to myself now. Her sym- 
pathy sometimes secretly and always silently expressed was part of the 
loving, brooding sympathy of the Father for all his children. It was given 
in such a way that I could never have made any recognition of it if I had 



231 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

known how. I hope she may have felt, in her hours of trial, the love and 
sympathy of those she had helped. May she know that I know her many 
kindnesses and that with many others I bless her memory. 

And over all my school days and through all was my father. My 
growing up was marked by my being allowed to go to a more and more 
distant corner to meet him coming home from school. The way he held 
the school by the force of his personality expressed in morning talks, in 
personal appeals, and in his own simple, religious, unselfish life, I shall 
never cease to think was something very fine, very unusual, and very 
wonderful. 



232 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



REMINISCENCES 
Addison L. Green 

Where are one's reminiscences of Westfield to begin, and where are they 
to stop? One might dwell lovingly upon the days when the town pump 
stood at the north end of the Green, when the whole town nestled in the 
valley and only scattered farms dotted the surrounding hills, when water- 
melons grew on the plains toward Southwick, and Mr. Fowler made 
butter-scotch and sold it to an enthusiastic clientele of school children. 
These were the days when the Westfield River in flood burst its dikes and 
the lower town became a muddy Venice. Following the flood the work 
of reconstructing the dike began and the High School boys turned out to 
help, inspired alike by patriotism and a desire for the splendid compensa- 
tion of two dollars per day. Their zeal was attested not alone by lamed 
backs and blistered hands, but also by the fact that the professional labor- 
ers, unwilling to follow their pace, threatened to quit unless the boys were 
discharged, and so the boys went back to school. At this period, and 
indeed, for a considerable period afterward, the canal paralleled the tracks 
of the "Putty Railroad"— a real canal filled with water that froze early 
in the winter and furnished the first skating of the season, not only to 
the boys and girls of the High School, but to all the boys and girls of the 
town. However, it ran so close to the school that its pupils seemed to 
have a special interest in the canal's icy surface. Has any one yet deter- 
mined why this railroad was called the " Putty Railroad?" Was the road 
so loosely built that it might be likened to something held together by 
putty, or did its builders potter, or, as we sometimes say in Yankeeland, 
"putter" around during its construction? 

In those far-away days John H. Haldeman was principal of the Green 
District School and Abner Gibbs of the High School. Mr. Haldeman had 
the faculty of personal intimacy with each of his scholars, and this gave 
him much more accurate knowledge of their several capacities and incli- 
nations than that generally possessed by teachers. He had an unusual 
ability for imparting knowledge, a distinct sense of humor, a quiet digni- 
fied manner, a real interest in his pupils' welfare, and a character that left 
its impress upon the character of all who were under him. His interest 
in his pupils did not cease when they left- the Green District School but 
followed them through life. 

In the days when Mr. Gibbs was principal of the High School the old 
Academy Building formed a part of the High School Building. Most of 
us remember its bell tower, its distinctive New England architecture, 

233 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

and some of us remember its walls, scratched or cut with the names of men 
long since passed to their fathers, — names that mean much in Westfield, 
of Bates and Noble, of Loomis and Fowler, of Taylor and many others. 

Mr. Gibbs, himself, was doubtless the most forceful personality that 
the High School has ever known. Tall, gaunt, with eager, compelling 
eyes, sanguine disposition, enthusiastic in his work, unremitting in his 
effort, a dynamo of nervous energy, he has left his features and character 
indelibly impressed upon the memory and the character of his pupils. 
His work and influence were not bounded by the walls of the High School, 
but extended throughout the town. This was partly (but only partly) 
the result of lectures that he used to give upon scientific, semi-scientific 
and popular subjects to the townspeople, in which he frequently applied 
his learning to every day problems and discussions. I remember one 
dealing with food, cooking, and digestion — its title has escaped me — in 
which he stated that the popular notion then prevailing that it was dan- 
gerous to eat lobster and ice cream at the same meal was nonsense, a 
statement that created much comment in the households of the town. He 
believed that a certain amount of candy was good for growing boys and 
girls, and so stated to their parents. This was very popular doctrine 
with the younger generation and was frequently quoted by them in the 
family circle. 

Mr. Gibbs possessed much sympathy, practical sense, a capacity for 
seeing the other fellow's position, and the kind of enthusiasm that is 
infectious and almost sure to touch a responsive cord in the hearts of 
others. To illustrate, his enthusiasm in chemistry was such that it 
inspired some of his pupils to do a great deal of extra work. Two of them, 
at least, in my class voluntarily toiled at night in the High School labora- 
tory and performed practically all of the experiments that could there be 
performed which were outlined in their text-book. 

He had to an unusual degree the faculty of inspiring a pupil to make his 
best effort by creating in his mind a feeling that it would disappoint Mr. 
Gibbs if he did not do so. He had a sense of humor, although it was rather 
dry and repressed. I remember coming up from Latin class one day and 
on the way picking up a tiny mouse which, upon reaching my seat, I 
dropped upon the floor without any particular thought of consequences. 
In a moment the school was in an uproar. Girls were standing on the 
seats and boys were making a vociferous effort to capture the mouse. 
For some time Mr. Gibbs was sure that the mouse had been released by 
another pupil and calling him by name, directed him to stand up and 
began to tell him most vigorously what he thought of the proceeding. Of 
course there was nothing for me to do but to arise and explain that I was 

234 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



the guilty party. Mr. Gibbs became silent, the school was expectant, 
but after a moment or two of consideration, instead of taking me in hand 
as I expected, he told me he would see me after school. When we met 
he looked at me for some time, saying nothing, but with a twinkle in his 
eye, then finally he said: "You did the right thing to own up so promptly, 
but don't you think it was rather a silly performance?" I admitted it was. 
Mr. Gibbs said: "That is all," and the incident was closed. In my 
judgment he accomplished a great deal more than if he had talked for a 
long time. 

Graduates of the High School, after going to college, where they were 
brought into competition with graduates of the best secondary schools, 
were apt to find themselves surprised at the knowledge they possessed 
of parliamentary practice, and by their comparative ability to debate 
and to take part in class meetings and things of that kind. This was due 
largely to the High School Lyceum and to the secret societies which were 
then a part of the school life. The Lyceum met once a week of an after- 
noon, was conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order or Cushing's 
Manual, and its exercises consisted of debates, recitations, essays, etc. 
A critic was appointed, and at the close of the other exercises made such 
criticisms as he or she was capable of making upon the work of the after- 
noon. The secret societies were Greek letter societies, but their mysteries 
lay wholly in the significance of their names, the password and the grip. 
They were in reality literary societies, extending the work of the Lyceum. 
Whatever objections to such societies may exist in other places, or may 
have existed at other times, in the High School, there was nothing 
objectionable to them in my day, and much that was highly beneficial. 
It used to be a favorite "stunt" for the presiding genius of the society 
to call a man on the floor, and then hand him a subject upon which it was 
his duty to speak for three minutes, or five, or ten, perhaps, as the subject 
seemed to demand. The facility acquired by some of the boys in this 
impromptu work was surprising. Among other things there were formal 
debates, and the question of woman's suffrage, the eight-hour day, and 
the respective merits of the pen and sword, were frequently decided. All 
business matters were seriously considered, so that the question of hold- 
ing a "peanut Bum," and appropriations from the treasury therefor, was 
settled by the closest application of parliamentary rules. 

Speaking of the Lyceum naturally recalls the Atheneum. It is difficult 
for those of the elder generation to think of the Westfield Atheneum still 
existing without Phineas Buell to manage it. What a democratic institu- 
tion it was. There was no need to fuss there with cards or with clerks to 
find one's books. One might go by himself anywhere and do as every book 

235 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 

lover does and ought to do, pull down from the shelves the books fancied, 
look at them as long as he liked, read what he pleased, and then repeat. 
If one laughed too loud at the story of Tom Sawj'er and his fence, or 
shuddered too deeply over the horrors of the "Watchers at the Threshold," 
there was no jarring voice to mar the delight either of his joy or of his 
fear, but a sympathetic librarian helped him out of his embarrassment by 
a kindly pressure upon the arm, and a sympathetic interest in his reading. 
Many were the wise suggestions that he gave to our younger generation 
as to authors and books, suggestions that were really introductions; and 
who can forget the man who has introduced him to Thackeray, to Dickens, 
and to Scott? Mr. Buell was much interested in phrenology, and I remem- 
ber once introducing him to my grandfather. He immediately viewed 
our heads, remarked upon the similarity of their conformation, and stated 
that any one familiar with phrenology could tell our relationship. We 
went away, never explaining that it was a case of step-grandfather. 

Among the names scratched upon the walls of the old Academy Building 
was that of Gillett. There are some men who fire the imagination of the 
young, and one of them was E. B. Gillett. I was quite young when I heard 
him speak in public, but I have yet a clear recollection of a striking coun- 
tenance, acquiline features, powerful but pleasing voice, and impressive 
manners. Probably it was contrast that fixed this recollection so firmly 
in my mind, because the town was later visited by Benjamin F. Butler, 
who was then a candidate for the governorship of Massachusetts. Per- 
haps one expects too much of an ex-general and a gubernatorial candidate, 
but how far short of Mr. Gillett did he seem to me in dignity, appearance, 
language and thought! 

Is elocution still taught in the High School? If so, who succeeds Miss 
McKenzie? Do the pupils still practice enunciation as she taught it in 
"Oh Thou that rollest above, round as the shield of my father!" Is 
voice tremor still taught in "Pity the sorrows of a poor old man whose 
trembling limbs have borne him to your door? " The elocutionary work of 
the school used to be (very likely it is now, but I am speaking of the past) 
of a high order. Mr. Pratt, who was instructor in Latin and Greek, helped 
in this work and did much to give a decidedly elocutionary slant to the 
ambition of boys and girls alike, a slant that persisted for many years — 
indeed, it may persist now. Mr. Pratt was a quiet, effective teacher, a 
gentleman, with a twinkle in his eye and a dry wit that helped largely to 
encourage his pupils in times of stress, and to console them in times of 
adversity. He was a very real influence in the school. 

No mention of the High School is complete that omits the name of Sarah 
Kneil. Her work and her influence were alike of the highest order. As 

236 



TWO HUNDRED A ND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



pupil and teacher for four years, and later as fellow teachers in the same 
school, her work and her personality impressed me vividly. I remember 
how amused she was one St. Patrick's Day, when the principal of the school 
basely deserted the other teachers and stayed away. The traditions of the 
school demanded that there be a lively demonstration on that day. As 
the sole male teacher, I was in charge. The school assembled verdant in 
green sashes, neckties and blouses, and, if I had not heard their footsteps 
coming up the stairs during devotions, "Ned" Miller and "Charlie" 
Little would have appeared in green coats and trousers. They were 
waylaid, however, upon the stairs and never permitted to reveal their 
glory to an expectant school. Returning to the schoolroom, we finished 
devotions and then it was firmly insisted that all articles of green be re- 
moved, and their resumption that day was forbidden under threat of direct 
penalties. Upon opening school in the afternoon we found that while 
these orders had been literally obeyed, everyone was then resplendent in 
orange. 

Many are the changes during a period of fifty years. Little, if any, 
arbutus is now to be found in Lloyd's Woods, yet once it was the custom 
on "May Day" for the pupils of the lower grades to go out in a body to 
hunt for Mayflowers, and they usually went to "Lloyd's Woods," where 
an abundance of arbutus was sure to be found. Later in the season pink 
lady's slippers could be found in the same woods. How much farther 
from the Town Hall have arbutus and lady's slippers since retreated? 
Can one still gather wild grapes— say a bushel of them— just across the 
river from Crane's Mill? And then the trout — there's the real test! It 
is hard to realize that once upon a time the brooks close at home, such as 
Powder Mill, Tannery, Sandy Mill, even Hundred Acres Brook, yielded 
trout, and, on good days, a good basket to a patient fisherman. Hundred 
Acres Brook, you know, is just the other side of Little River and is very 
close to the center of the town. One misty day in May, when there was 
one session in the High School, there was taken from that brook in the 
afternoon, following the close of school, a creel nearly full of trout — good 
sized fish, light colored, almost silvery, with subdued spots — such trout 
as from time immemorial have run up from the sandy bottom of Little 
River into its tributary streams. 

No more lovable character ever lived in Westfield than Henry Fuller, 
lovable for his honesty, the genuine kindliness of his disposition, and for 
his absent-mindedness. While teaching in the High School I was study- 
ing in his law office during vacations, and came to know him intimately. 
"Squire" Fuller always wore a silk hat and dark coat after the old school 
of lawyers, carried a cane, and invariably entered his office on mornings 

237 



WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 



smoking a cigar. He was practically certain to lay down his hat, his cane, 
and his cigar upon his desk, and then his cane was practically certain to 
fall upon the floor, and the cigar when resumed, had about an even chance 
of having its lighted end placed in Mr. Fuller's mouth, evoking his favorite 
exclamation: "By Godfrey! By Godfrey!" He had a very high sense 
of duty to his clients, and was very loyal to their interests. 

Do the young people of the present generation have as much genuine 
fun as did those of these older times? One doubts it. Probably the 
things then called fun would not seem so now. How many of the young 
people today would enjoy getting up at daybreak and driving out to South- 
wick Ponds for pond lilies, and returning home in time for school. Yet 
the recollection of some such mornings, when the girls provided sand- 
wiches and cocoa and we drove in the early sunrise out across the plains 
to Southwick, comes back to me again and again when I am on the trout 
streams at early dawn in the Northern woods. The enjoyment of those 
days was not of the automobile, moving-picture shows, or dances in hotel 
lobbies. There were dances enough, to be sure, sleighrides and bus-rides 
to Blandford, to Russell, and to Salmon Falls, and dancing there to the 
tune of Ben Chadwick's concertina and under the inspiration of his prompt- 
ing; dancing likewise in the big hall out at Frank Atwater's, the same 
hall where we all understood that George Washington was once enter- 
tained. Then there were the excursions, sometimes called picnics, along 
the various beauty spots that line the little River as it comes tumbling 
down the rocks from the "dry bridge." There was not only some, but 
there was a great deal of social life among the young people of the town 
then, and some of us believe that it was more vivid and enjoyable than 
it is now, because its enjoyment was dependent upon the capacity of the 
young people to amuse themselves, and led them to develop their own 
resources. 

After all, the "Old Town" is always the "Old Town," because there is 
no place like home. As the years progress, the farther one is removed 
from its activities, the firmer do recollections of the home town remain in 
one's mind. Does anybody born of Westfield ever see a whip, whether in 
a wagon or offered for sale in a shop, that he does not examine it to make 
sure that it was made in Westfield and to find out who made it? 



238 




I'lioU) by M. O. T. CoU-nuiii 



The I)oor\va>' of the I^'owUt Taxcru 

Built about ijho 

Now in the Metropolitan Museum, Xew York City 



TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

THE DOORWAY 
Frances Fowler 

Over that threshold, in and out, 

In haste and leisure, brisk and spent, 
With counsel stern, or eager shout, 

The land's defenders came and went. 
More than a hundred years it stood 

A landmark for the countryside. 
With stone-like figures carved in wood. 
(Perhaps the worker had in mind 
Some English homestead left behind), 
W'e held it dear in heedless pride. 
We cared, but did not care enough; 
And one day, ere we were aware, 
Through fault of none, or fault of all, 
The Doorway was no longer there ! 

No blessing that the gods can send, 

No treasure that the earth can yield, 
Is better than a faithful friend. 

And nothing needs a stronger shield. 
A thoughtless word, a selfish act. 

Will bring the heart to aching-point. 
Too great demands, too little tact, 
May strain the tie to breaking-point. 
We care, but do not care enough; 

The flower is bruised that once was fair. 
And, fault of both, or fault of one. 
The Friendship is no longer there! 

Oh, my beloved country! Speak 

With every power at thy command. 
With beacon-flash from peak to peak. 

To every heart in every land ! 
For all our plans of earthly good 
Truth is the only sure control. 
And universal brotherhood 

Depends on each and every soul. 
We care, but we must care enough. 

And, humbly watchful, greatly dare 
'Gainst fault of each, and fault of all 
Lest Freedom be no longer there ! 

239 



